Hackers have succeeded in breaking into the computer systems of two of the U.S.' most important science labs, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee and Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.

In what a spokesperson for the Oak Ridge facility described as a "sophisticated cyber attack," it appears that intruders accessed a database of visitors to the Tennessee lab between 1990 and 2004, which included their social security numbers and dates of birth. Three thousand researchers reportedly visit the lab each year, a who's who of the science establishment in the U.S.

"Because of the sensitive nature of this event, the laboratory will be unable for some period to discuss further details until we better understand the full nature of this attack," he added.
Less is known about the attacks said to have been launched against the ORNL's sister-institution at Los Alamos, but the two are said to be linked.

The ORNL is a multipurpose science lab, a site of technological expertise used in homeland security and military research, and also the site of one of the world's fastest supercomputers. Los Alamos operates a similar multi-disciplinary approach, but specializes in nuclear weapons research, one of only two such sites doing such top-secret work in the U.S.

A "sophisticated cyberattack" has been detected at Oak Ridge National Laboratory over the last several weeks, and authorities suspect the hackers are based in China.

Investigators have not been able to determine whether the attacks came from government or private entities in China.

Other federal labs, including Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico and California's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, have also been targeted in the scheme.

said by Jeffrey :

Is anyone else besides me terribly disturbed at what sort of adversary China will be in 20 years?

said by Jeffrey :

Is anyone else besides me terribly disturbed at what sort of adversary China will be in 20 years?

said by OldschoolDSL :

China and The US will go to war. This is the third time China as been into our nuke program and/or defense systems. Their army has been growing out of control for 10yrs. Friends? With friends like this, who needs enemies?

said by PolarBear :

Yes. And here we are blowing all we got on a pissant-of-a-country like Iraq.

FYI, I DO support our country, so please flame lightly.

said by gaforces :

And dont forget getting our asses kicked in Afghanistan.

said by OldschoolDSL :

China and The US will go to war. This is the third time China as been into our nuke program and/or defense systems. Their army has been growing out of control for 10yrs. Friends? With friends like this, who needs enemies?

said by Jeffrey :

Is anyone else besides me terribly disturbed at what sort of adversary China will be in 20 years?