China Crafts Cyberweapons

MitmWatcher writes to mention that a recent report by the Department of Defense revealed that China is continuing to build up their cyberwarfare units and develop viruses. "'The PLA has established information warfare units to develop viruses to attack enemy computer systems and networks,' the annual DOD report on China's military warned. At the same, Chinese armed forces are developing ways to protect its own systems from an enemy attack, it said, echoing similar warnings made in previous years."

Comments

Re:Sensible

[neomunk]

This is just a new battlefield, like between the world wars when everyone scrambled to get together some kind of airforce. Space hasn't been officially militarized yet because of cold war fears that led to a treaty banning that type of activity. It seems that certain powers in the world are changing their mind about that, but I digress...

Yeah, cyberspace (I know, played out term, but it's common vernacular now) is a place (kinda) where strategy can be applied to hamper an enemies war fighting potential. Not only that, it can be the equivalent to infrastructure destruction when targeted at the private sector. Yep, all that advantage without firing a shot, without having to wait for resupply of ammunition and without putting a single person within killing range of the target.

In other words, this is common sense.

US military has one too: USAF Cyberspace Command.

[Aaron England]

Last year the Secetary of the Air Force (SECAF) hijacked the realm of cyberspace for the Air Force, when he announced the Air Force's new mission to provide the President with "[options] in in air, space and now cyberspace." According to a recent congressional hearing, the Air Force Cyberpsace Command (AFCYBER) will be stood up sometime Summer 2007.

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123030505

Notable: SharedSource

[symbolset]

It is notable here that China is one of the state entities that enjoys access to the source code for Window under Microsoft's SharedSource program. If you're in IT for a government agency in the US, it's your duty to ask 'what does China know about my critical infrastructure that I don't know?'

Unfortunately for the people who rely on you, the answer is undiscoverable.

Re:Yes?

[polar red]

BULLCRAP !!!!

1/Europe was a warzone for a thousand years. The moment the EU(actually its predecessors) was founded, war ceased. The economic bonds between these member states prevent any war. No-one in his right mind would think of a war between 2 of the member states, and yet Europe is the least militarized zone in the world.
2/the way people keep thinking of "enemies" is an outdated concept. At least in some parts of the world. Can you point them on the map? And Can you make a link to countries not involved in any war in 50 years ?