Five large oil and gas companies’ computer networks were allegedly penetrated by Chinese hackers as early as 2007, the UK Telegraph reported. The attacks, dubbed the "Night Dragon" attacks, are being investigated by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation. The attacks successfully obtained information about equipment configurations and financial documents relating to bids for oil and gas concessions. Investigators from antivirus firm MacAfee (MFE.NYSE) said that the attacks were "coordinated, covert and targeted," and that they strictly occurred during working hours, Beijing time. MacAfee said the attacks were similar to the hacking of Google (GOOG.NASDAQ) in December 2009 and to a China-based espionage network called GhostNet that broke into the computers of diplomats, business persons and political activists.
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