Global Energy Industry Hit In “Night Dragon” Attacks

"In 2010 McAfee Labs processed an average of almost 55,000 pieces of new malware every day. That nearly mind-numbing amount makes it difficult for any particular attack to stand out. Today, however, I want to highlight one large scale attack that is a clear example of how cybercrime has evolved from something of a hobbyist affair to a very professional activity. We call this specific attack “Night Dragon.”

Starting in November 2009, covert cyberattacks were launched against several global oil, energy, and petrochemical companies. The attackers targeted proprietary operations and project-financing information on oil and gas field bids and operations. This information is highly sensitive and can make or break multibillion dollar deals in this extremely competitive industry."

Read more (PDF)...