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Feds Ask IT Execs To Throw Away Cellphones After Visiting China

Posted by Soulskill on from the guilty-of-aberrant-longitude dept.

sholto writes "US intelligence agencies are advising top US IT executives to weigh their laptops before and after visiting China as one of many precautions against corporate espionage. Symantec Chief Technology Officer Mark Bregman said he was also advised to buy a new cellphone for each visit and to throw it away after leaving. Bregman said he kept a separate MacBook Air for use in China, which he re-images on returning, but claimed he didn't subscribe to the strictest policies. 'Bregman said the US was also concerned about its companies employing Chinese coders, particularly in security.'"

18 of 382 comments (clear)

  1. huh by JeanBaptiste · · Score: 4, Funny

    how much does data weigh? I'm sure the 1's are heavier than the 0's....

    1. Re:huh by JeanBaptiste · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yeah, but only the 1's contain data. The 0's are empty.

    2. Re:huh by Chrisq · · Score: 4, Funny

      If you two keep arguing about 1s and 0s my monitor will fall through the desk. Type some spaces quick.

    3. Re:huh by gardyloo · · Score: 4, Funny

      Filter error: Please use less whitespace.

          Sorry, man. You'll just have to buy a stronger desk.

    4. Re:huh by PitaBred · · Score: 3, Funny

      Allow me to be the first to say... "whooooosh"

      --
      My blog. Good stuff (when I remember to update it). Read it.
    5. Re:huh by supernova_hq · · Score: 4, Funny

      Hey cool, the hotel fixed all the scatches in my cellphone while I was having a shower. This calls for a BIG tip to housecleaning!

    6. Re:huh by Eevee · · Score: 4, Funny

      They knew the camera was there, but they were too overcome with joy that the copier wasn't constantly broken to care.

    7. Re:huh by natehoy · · Score: 3, Funny

      Yes, we had O. To do a "Q", you did an O, then backspaced and typed a comma over it.

      --
      "This post contains words, known to the State of California to cause thought. Wash brain thoroughly after reading."
  2. Industrial espionage? by jmpeax · · Score: 5, Funny

    Symantec Chief Technology Officer Mark Bregman [...] was advised to buy a new cellphone for each visit

    Yes, heaven forbid China learns the secret of bloated antivirus software that ignores state-sponsored keyloggers.

    --
    Amnesty International
    1. Re:Industrial espionage? by mrdoogee · · Score: 4, Funny

      What a coincidence! I advise people to buy new software after every Symantec install!

  3. Manufacture by fridaynightsmoke · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm sure glad that the laptops and cellphones in question weren't MADE in China in the first place...
    Oh, wait..

    --
    This is a substitute for a clever sig that fits within the maximum number of characters.
  4. The real story by Ukab+the+Great · · Score: 5, Funny

    The real story in the article should be "CTO of world's largest Windows security software company uses a mac."

  5. Re:One word... by ryanov · · Score: 5, Funny

    Don't they have a right to know how their money is spent? ;)

  6. Re:Good luck with that. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...odds are you'll end up bugging a lot of 19 year old teenage girls going off to college instead of corporate execs.

    Either way, you win.

  7. Re:Horse, close the barn door! by Lord+Ender · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is why the bugs are only activated when they detect an integer overflow error in any document called "personal finances.xls". With this method, they can be sure they're on an American executive's computer.

    --
    A slashdotter who didn't build his own computer is like a Jedi who didn't build his own lightsaber.
  8. Re:Horse, close the barn door! by ColdWetDog · · Score: 5, Funny

    15-25? Try 5. On many laptops you could get to a good access point right under the easily-removable keyboard.

    This, friends, is the real reason behind the famed Apple design of no user serviceable parts. Not to save weight, not to give Apple a few measly bucks for battery replacements but to prevent FOREIGN ESPIONAGE. Think about that that when you drop your Dell and 12 little plastic panels pop off.

    You Windows folks aught to be shot as spies.

    --
    Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
  9. Re:Good luck with that. by snspdaarf · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...odds are you'll end up bugging a lot of 19 year old teenage girls going off to college instead of corporate execs.

    Either way, you win.

    Until the restraining order kicks in.

    --
    Why, without your clothes, you're naked, Miss Dudley!
  10. Re:Chinese Coders? by PixetaledPikachu · · Score: 3, Funny

    No - you, sir, have no clue about Americans. Americans are in it for themselves, bar none. Any social interest arising from an American economic activity is merely an unintended side-effect of a self interest the executor couldn't turn into profit.

    aptly said by those who renamed "french fries" to "freedom fries"