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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.'"

7 of 382 comments (clear)

  1. Re:huh by thefear · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Data may be weightless, but how about hardware key logging devices?

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  2. Re:Chinese Coders? by bheekling · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's not racial profiling, it's (current or previous) nationality profiling, you know, the information that's visible on your passport?

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  3. Re:PCs and phones *are* made in China by Yvanhoe · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I read the article, and I stopped when it became clear that this information comes from Symantec. Your favorite over-paranoid, FUD-spreading company.

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    The Wise adapts himself to the world. The Fool adapts the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the Fool.
  4. Re:One word... by PhilHibbs · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's not paranoia if they really are out to get you. And we have plenty of evidence that the Chinese really are. Actually, the intelligence agencies probably just forgot to say "because we're doing all this stuff to their top executives when they visit us".

  5. The reverse holds true by ironicsky · · Score: 5, Insightful

    As a non-American citizen I feel the reverse holds true. When I enter the USA from Canada I should bring a seperate bare-bones, no thrills cell phone and an empty laptop. Because if the TSA decides that they want to snoop through my electronics there is no telling what information they are pulling out, government created spyware being installed, or some sort of magical chip that transmits everything I am doing back to them.

    See, Conspiracy theories work both ways... No more fear mongering, okay? Lets play nice kids.

  6. Re:Such respect for IT! by mc+moss · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Maybe he just has sensitive material about his company on the laptop. I've seen people in management who don't let anyone in the company, even IT, look at their laptops and it isn't because they think the IT department is incompetent or have no respect for them.

  7. Re:huh by buswolley · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I understand the concern but...all our computers are made in China anyway. How dow e know if the Hardware isn't betraying us already?

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    A Good Troll is better than a Bad Human.