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Like Google, cyber attacks also targeted Yahoo
According to several reports, Yahoo Inc. (YHOO.O) has also been among the companies targeted by the recent Chinese cyber attacks that were first revealed by Google Inc. (GOOG.O).
by Priyanka - January 16, 2010 - comments
However, Yahoo has refused to provide any information regarding the attacks or if any company or user data has been taken by the hackers, as happened in Google's case.
Yahoo also had talks with its rival Google regarding the attacks after Google publicized the incidents in its official blog posts on Tuesday. Google had said that more than 20 companies have been targeted in the attacks that originated in China.
Yahoo released a statement earlier this week saying that it does not believe in revealing attacks related information but they take security seriously and also takes strict measures to stop such intrusions.
The company also issued a separate statement that it is "aligned with Google that these kinds of attacks are deeply disturbing and strongly believe that the violation of user privacy is something that we as Internet pioneers must all oppose."
Analyst’s view on the whole issue
According to analysts, generally companies do not publicize matters like cyber attacks because of the fear that their own technological vulnerabilities will be exposed.
The companies’ stance on such issues has been described by Clyde Prestowitz, president of Economic Strategy Institute at Washington, "If you're being hurt and I'm not being hurt, I don't take risks with my company just to help you."
Internet security companies like Symantec Corp. and Northrop Grumman Corp. have also been attacked. But Symantec maintained, "We are the target of cyber attacks on a regular basis," and refused to reveal if they were victims of this particular attack. Northrop Grumman Corp. also refused to comment.
Meanwhile, apart from Google and Yahoo, only two other companies—Abode Systems Inc. and Juniper Networks Inc.--have publicly acknowledged the attacks.
U.S. planning to ask for a formal explanation
According to a State Department spokesman, the U.S. government is considering asking for a formal explanation from China regarding the cyber attacks faced by Google Inc. and some other U.S. companies.
"We will be issuing a formal demarche to the Chinese government in Beijing on this issue in the coming days, probably early this week,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement released after Google first revealed the cyber attacks.
Secretary Clinton is expected to deliver “a major policy address on Internet freedom” in Washington D.C. next Thursday to set a more comprehensive governmental policy on cyber censorships and attacks.