At the end of July, NBC reported in Exclusive: Secret NSA Map Shows China Cyber Attacks on U.S. Targets that over 600 American websites and email accounts were hacked by Chinese cyber espionage operations.
As the map above illustrates, targets included one on Minnesota's western prairies. We took to wondering about what that target might be. Rebecca Terk's canning recipes? The secrets of Riverview Dairy's massive milk product? An inventory of emergency generators and go-karts at Representative Backers business? The secrets of a liberal arts education at the University of Morris?
Our friends offered a number of fun suggestions, but Gustavus Adolphus math professor Max Hailperin gave the most plausible reading of the Greater Minnesota readings on the map:
Does look like a bunch of university towns, of the kind that don't do advanced military-related research but do attract some students and faculty members from China (as do all colleges and universities today). Morris, Bemidji, La Crosse, Mankato, for example.
It's Winona, rather that LaCrosse, but his point stands. An educated conclusion, but not a certainty. At the Post Bulletin, Josh Moniz looks at the map in Southeastern Minnesota site among Chinese hacking victims, and comes away with a different take:
In southeastern Minnesota, there is a single red dot that appears to be located in the Winona area. However, the map does not list which entities the dots represent.
Winona is home to several colleges and the headquarters of several corporations, including medical device companies. If the dot doesn't represent a precise geographic location, southeastern Minnesota has several high value targets ranging from Mayo Clinic to biotech firms.
Here's the news clip with more about the spying:
Map: The targets of Chinese cyber espionage operations.
If you appreciate Bluestem's posts, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or use the paypal button below:
Email subscribers can contribute via this link to paypal; use email sally.jo.sorensen at gmail.com as recipient.
Comments