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China Says It Lacks Skills To Hack US Systems
ScentCone writes "A spokesman for China's foreign ministry says that — China being the 'developing nation' that it is — he doubts that his country has the sophistication to hack foreign systems. This in response to statements by two congressmen regarding apparent probing by China-based crackers into congressional systems for information about communication between US officials and activists in China."
They threaten to hack the universe and boast about hitting powerplants and such.. then a month or two later they get accused of hacking an important computer system and they suddenly don't have the sophistication to do so?
That China hacked the systems of two congressmen they are unlikely to have any interest in, or that someone else, knowing everyone would leap to blame China, hacked Chinese computers and used them to do the attack?
Seems to me they could use the access to try and steal something they could sell.
If it was an attack, I mean, has there been any evidence released? Or is this just finger pointing in the absence of proof?
A learning experience is one of those things that say, 'You know that thing you just did? Don't do that.' - D. Adams
Remember, they readily come here to get educated at our grad schools as well. Not only could they have learned there, they could have learned HERE as well.
Not to mention that a lot of the key mathematics that broke MD5 was done by Chinese cryptographers, among quite a few other mathematical and scientific breakthroughs over the last few years. Saying they don't have the capability is absurd.
Not a typewriter
that's what the Navy said to convince people like you to give them more money
No, that's what the Navy said to make the Chinese feel overly confident and to underestimate our ability to track them. Classic move... make your opponent complacent enough that you can then later make them completely doubt their ability to do anything when you rip the rug out from under them, as the situation warrants. Nothing makes people doubt their abilities more than the sudden discovery that they've been completely wrong about their own success. We should know (as should the former Soviets and everyone else), since it's happened to us, too.
Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
The OOC is as morally bankrupt as the Chinese Government. They just don't have the same goals or political power.
My company is expanding into China in 2009-2010. Over 100 locations with Windows boxes acting as POS terminals (Point Of Sale and Piece Of Shit both apply here, unfortunately), connecting back to our network infrastructure in the U.S.
I'm a Network Systems Analyst, but not in a Information Security role. Still, I felt it prudent to ask recently; "so, how are we hardening the systems going into China?" only to be met with the deer in the headlights look. I pointed out the inception of this story and then went on to describe how people could buy in iPhone 1.0 in China last year...30-60 days before last June's U.S. launch. And the fact that virtually ANY software you wanted was available, for pennies, in China. Hacked, cracked, and pre-loaded with malware galore in many cases, to be sure, but available nonetheless.
I didn't get the sense my comments got anyone in power even a little concerned. Luckily, I can retire in Fall 2009. I'll get to read about this upcoming disaster in the easy chair with a cup of joe. I may even think it funny since I won't have to do any mitigation of the virtually guaranteed compromise(s) that will occur.
Underestimating the potential threats in this part of the world is painfully stupid. Which explains the idiot who left an unsecured laptop unattended in a foreign country that isn't exactly an ally, economic or otherwise. There are several firms in that part of the world that offer services to Fortune firms doing business in Asia BECAUSE of the increased risks.
Disingenious? Naw...this is an outright lie, plain and simple.
I am my own gestalt.
Part of the Chinese culture? That little tradition used to be polite behaviour in the west too.
Not to the extent it is elsewhere.
A friend of mine told me a funny story years ago of his parents when they first arrived in the US. His mother received an invitation from the neighbours for a housewarming dinner. When she arrived, the hostess came up to her and suggested she help herself from the buffet. The conversation proceeded along the following lines:
"No, thank you."
"You really must."
"I'm sorry, but I really shouldn't."
"I insist."
"Thank you for your hospitality, but I really can't."
"Ok. Suit yourself, then."
When his mother returned home in tears, her husband asked her what had happened. She said she had never felt so insulted, and didn't eat a thing. When he asked why she didn't eat anything, she replied, "The hostess didn't insist the third time!"
The art of war, Sun Tzu (6th. cent. B.C.), I.18 and 1.19
"They still would have a population greater than our own and the `fight` in them would be far greater as we would have attacked and wiped out 600,000,000+ citizens."
On the other hand, if we closed down the port of Long Beach, China would be bankrupt in a few months.
Well, I suppose we'd also have to refuse to pay back US Treasury Securities owned by the Chinese government.
Hmmm, then we'd probably be bankrupt as well as the world would refuse to purchase any more of our government debt.
Prices at Wal-Mart would double as well.
I hope we can all "just get along!"
"Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting." Said over 2500 years ago. That's before Jesus Christ superstar, btw.
You should all read Sun Tzu and have a bash at playing "Go" as well.
Deleted
and coming up next...The War on Thoughts. Help stamp out ThoughtCrime today!
"But this one goes to 11!"
Your assumption that democracy is inherently better than dictatorship only holds for your cultural values. All political systems or cultures are better than dystopia and all are worse than utopia, they all have benefits and flaws, yet while there are more similarities than differences we tend to ignore the familiar (including our own flaws) and divide the world into false dichotomies, black and white, good and bad, or in this case better or worse.
Even if we take it for granted that dictatorship is a bad thing in and of itself, culture embraces far more than merely internal politics. Living under democracy might be great, but what if that democracy was overthrowing other democracies and installing dictators in those countries? Would that culture be better or worse than one that was a dictatorship that openly embraced democracy in a former territory that had been democratic for around 99 years? It's not so black and white as it first appears.