Apple Sets Up China Data Center To Meet New Cybersecurity Rules (cnbc.com)

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Apple Sets Up China Data Center To Meet New Cybersecurity Rules (cnbc.com)

Posted by msmash on Wednesday July 12, 2017 @04:40AM from the when-in-China dept.

Apple on Wednesday said it is setting up its first data center in China, in partnership with a local internet services company, to comply with tougher cybersecurity laws introduced last month. From a report: The U.S. technology company said it will build the center in the southern province of Guizhou with data management firm Guizhou-Cloud Big Data Industry. An Apple spokesman in Shanghai told Reuters the center is part of a planned $1 billion investment into the province. "The addition of this data center will allow us to improve the speed and reliability of our products and services while also complying with newly passed regulations," Apple said in a statement to Reuters.

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Cybersecutiry = Chinese Government snooping by Oswald+McWeany · 2017-07-12 04:55 · Score: 3, Informative

Cybersecurity? Or the Chinese government just want to keep better tabs on democracy protesters on Hong Kong?

--
"That's the way to do it" - Punch
1. Re:Cybersecutiry = Chinese Government snooping by zugmeister · 2017-07-12 05:02 · Score: 2
  
  I don't think anyone's even pretending it's about security anymore.
2. Re:Cybersecutiry = Chinese Government snooping by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 05:39 · Score: 0
  
  What do HK democratic protestors have to do with mainland's cybersecurity policy. The new policy on the mainland doesn't even apply to HK.
3. Re: Cybersecutiry = Chinese Government snooping by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 05:39 · Score: 0
  
  Njgger penises in your mouth!
4. Re:Cybersecutiry = Chinese Government snooping by ShanghaiBill · 2017-07-12 05:48 · Score: 1
  
  I don't think anyone's even pretending it's about security anymore.
  China has never pretended. The have been very straightforward in letting people know they are watching. The point of the GFoC is to not to catch people dissenting and conspiring, but to deter it. If anything, they have exaggerated their surveillance capabilities.
5. Re:Cybersecutiry = Chinese Government snooping by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 06:25 · Score: 0
  
  It's about Tim Cock getting chinese dick up her butthole.
  Chinese faggets welcome this development.
6. Re: Cybersecutiry = Chinese Government snooping by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 08:28 · Score: 0
  
  They want you know who the protesters are so they can ban them from China.
7. Re:Cybersecutiry = Chinese Government snooping by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 08:31 · Score: 0
  
  So as long as you tell people up front you are spying on them everything is ok? Chinese citizens are not deterred by government surveillance they are deterred by the level of brutality the Chinese government inflicts on anyone not toeing the party line. China has changed quite a lot since the days of Mao but the fear is still deeply ingrained in populace. And China's changes are primarily economic in nature but there have been no changes in the area of citizen rights or changes in the social hierarchy. Let me know the next time you see a civil rights protest in downtown Beijing. The last one I saw ended with tanks rolling down the street running over anyone not fast enough to get out of the way. There are a few Chinese social activists but they are either under house arrest, prison, dead, missing, or living in a foreign country that doesn't have an extradition treaty with China.
  "they have exaggerated their surveillance capabilities"
  No. That would be the US domestic surveillance activities. People confuse capabilities with real world implementation. The US has the capabilities to be the worlds greatest authoritarian state but is not an authoritarian state by any means. The screeching rhetoric from morons incapable of seeing reality outside of their own little cubby hole of fears and prejudices not withstanding. On the other hand China does use all of it's capabilities to maintain their authoritarian-oligarchy-communist-socialist-capitalist state while making no apologies to anyone.
  And keep in mind US power was obtained even though the government is endlessly challenged and criticized by it's own citizens and even foreigners who seem to think they ought to have a say in US policies. The US actually has to act like it gives a shit about what the European leaders actually think as well. If they ever contribute anything meaningful and helpful in US interests maybe the US may let them wallow in their sense of importance when it comes to US world affairs. That is a big fucking handicap when competing for global supremecy. China and Russia do not have to deal with any of that nonsense. The Chinese or Russian governments have a freehand to do anything they want without giving a single solitary good god damn about what any of their citizens may think.
8. Re: Cybersecutiry = Chinese Government snooping by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 09:53 · Score: 0
  
  They already know who the protesters are. Freedom of speech hasn't been killed in HK, so protestors identities are publicly known. They would also want these people to freely cross over into the mainland. If they are truly a problem they will nab them, like they did to 3 of the 5 booksellers who crossed the border into mainland China, trying to distribute/sell contraband books there.
9. Re: Cybersecutiry = Chinese Government snooping by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 13:46 · Score: 0
  
  Pot, kettle, black. The 5 eyes already have much of the world's telecoms under surveillance, mostly for political and commercial espionage. I see this and the EU's efforts as attempting to claw back a little of the autonomy and security they've lost.
10. Re: Cybersecutiry = Chinese Government snooping by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 14:33 · Score: 0
  
  "EU's efforts as attempting to claw back a little of the autonomy"
  Every time the EU member countries gain a measure of autonomy they start warring amongst themselves and the US will be stuck cleaning up the mess. What exactly does the EU do and would anyone miss it if it went away? I guess Common currency used by most member states simplifies all the conversion calculations you used to have to do when traveling through Europe. This would seem to be good policy if it wasn't for the fact that having a common currency has allowed Germany and France to game the system to gain power over all the weaker countries. Have they built the EU centric military organization they have been promising for the past 25 years? No. They know the US will protect them so why spend the money or effort. Removing the Passport requirement when moving around in Europe's open borders initiative seems like a good idea and it certainly makes it easier for ME "refugees" to travel trouble free to their designated targets.
11. Re:Cybersecutiry = Chinese Government snooping by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 21:43 · Score: 0
  
  But how long before every country in the world, including the US are just like China?
  Dont tell me that any politician, president, emperor, king, whatever you want to call it, would not secretly wish to be the head honcho of a brutal dictatorship that could never be removed because of the surveilance capabilities today, that would make even Stalin cry with joy!
  Surveilance is power, power currupts! more wants more! people in power want more power!
  a brutal dictatorship that can not be removed because the dictator always knows everything about everyone, IS the ultimate achivement for people that lust for power, the ultimate power!
  touchy feely stuff like democracy, that we as regular citizen crave, would without the total surveilance of today, be enough to keep most politicians in check, so they have fever options to abuse power... now... tech allows countries all over the world to increase surveilance and take away basic human and citizen rights... it is not only the US that enjoys this game...
  In my country they claim its to protect us from terrorism and other bad things, but we have had no attacks and still they make more and more psychotic laws that take away more and more rights and increases surveilance levels to insane levels... it is so painfully obvious that the laws are made only in order to control the population completely...
  my country officially still has democracy, but for how long? I would say we are already well beyond the point where unofficial democracy is long gone in my country...and this is just the evolution that has happended in the last 16 years...
  You really think any politician has "ideologiccal ideers" or "fights for the people" and all that garbage? they want power.. nothing more!
  atleast that how it seems to be from my perspective!
Once again the accountants dictate morality by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 04:55 · Score: 1

The bad guys win another one.
1. Re: Once again the accountants dictate morality by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 05:07 · Score: 1
  
  Following the law is the responsibility of businesses. If the laws are bad, it's the people who should speak up (and there are many people in China), like they did during the French Revolution, the fall of the Soviet Union, and the American Revolution, and so many others. The people in china have their laws. When in china, Apple and any other company should respect it. That's not bad.
2. Re:Once again the accountants dictate morality by ShanghaiBill · 2017-07-12 05:41 · Score: 1
  
  1. It is questionable that this is for "bad" purposes. If it was designed for censorship or surveillance, then putting it in Guizhou would make very little sense.
  2. Corporations have to follow local laws.
  3. It is better for foreign companies to stay in China and make a difference on the margin, than to leave in a huff of "moral high groundism", leaving the field to domestic companies with even fewer scruples.
  4. It is not the job of western corporations to "fix" China. That is up to the Chinese people.
3. Re: Once again the accountants dictate morality by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 05:54 · Score: 0
  
  I don't see how any of those points fits in with the view "You are either on my side or you are in my way". Less nuance more sound bites please.
4. Re: Once again the accountants dictate morality by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 06:12 · Score: 0
  
  "When in china, Apple and any other company should respect it. That's not bad."
  Do you say the same for pre-WW2 US companies doing business in Germany? Apple has prostituted itself for a buck.
5. Re: Once again the accountants dictate morality by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 06:20 · Score: 0
  
  "4. It is not the job of western corporations to "fix" China. That is up to the Chinese people."
  Bah. It is the job of western corporations to profit. If 'fixing' China is profitable then western corps will do that. As it stands, fixing China is not profitable, but 'breaking' it _is_ (or, more accurately, enabling the government to keep its people from fixing it).
6. Re: Once again the accountants dictate morality by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 07:14 · Score: 0
  
  The law has no right to interfere with personal (or any other kind) communications. If Apple were 'moral' they would provide assistance (doesn't have to be free) to the the Chinese who want to communicate with the outside, regardless of the capricious and arbitrary law. A government that interferes has no right to exist.
7. Re: Once again the accountants dictate morality by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 13:46 · Score: 0
  
  And a company breaking the laws of a country has no right to continue selling things in said country. It works both ways you know.
8. Re: Once again the accountants dictate morality by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 18:52 · Score: 0
  
  Fuck the law! It is too corrupt to deserve anything but contempt. The company can use the internet to break through the stupid border while physically staying a safe distance away.
Interesting quotes from TFA by 93+Escort+Wagon · 2017-07-12 05:03 · Score: 3, Informative

The claim is that the rule being complied with is a requirement for Chinese ownership:

"These regulations require cloud services be operated by Chinese companies so we're partnering with GCBD to offer iCloud," [Apple] said, referring to its online data storage service.
Also, they state there will be no back doors.

Apple also said it had strong data privacy and security protections in place.
"No backdoors will be created into any of our systems," it said.
If the latter is true, it will be interesting to see how this plays out with the Chinese government, as time goes on...

--
#DeleteChrome
1. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 05:08 · Score: 0
  
  "No backdoors will be created into any of our systems,"
  It's being built in China, with Chinese workers, at the behest of the Chinese government. I would not be so confident of "no backdoors" if I were Apple.
2. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by Tablizer · 2017-07-12 05:18 · Score: 1
  
  If the latter is true, it will be interesting to see how this plays out with the Chinese government, as time goes on...
  Simple: Apple will only add back-doors to the Chinese editions.
  
  --
  Table-ized A.I.
3. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 05:26 · Score: 0
  
  If the latter is true, it will be interesting to see how this plays out with the Chinese government, as time goes on...
  Simple: Apple will only add back-doors to the Chinese editions.
  Oh yeah... when all the iPhones are manufactured in China... ONLY the Chinese editions will have backdoors. Even the Chinese manufactured phones sold... EVERYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.
4. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by Tablizer · 2017-07-12 05:30 · Score: 1
  
  Couldn't they put that feature into a config chip of some kind (WORM chip?) rather than hard-wire onto the motherboard?
  
  --
  Table-ized A.I.
5. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 05:31 · Score: 0
  
  Don't forget that any foreign company on Chinese soil has to have local Chinese interests have a 51% stake... and Chinese companies have to have a government member (similar to the US's DHS) on the board.
6. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by ShanghaiBill · 2017-07-12 06:03 · Score: 1
  
  Beginning in January 2017, iCloud encryption keys are stored on the client. So as long as the encryption is secure, there is no way to put in a backdoor without Apple's knowledge and cooperation. Apple currently uses AES256, which is widely believed to be uncrackable for the foreseeable future.
7. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by ShanghaiBill · 2017-07-12 06:16 · Score: 1
  
  Don't forget that any foreign company on Chinese soil has to have local Chinese interests have a 51% stake...
  That hasn't been true for many years. Joint ventures are only required for specific activities related to national security ... such as running a datacenter.
  
  ... and Chinese companies have to have a government member (similar to the US's DHS) on the board.
  I worked for a Chinese youxian gongsi (LLC), and was a director, while married to the CEO. There was no government member on the board.
8. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by Hognoxious · 2017-07-12 06:22 · Score: 1
  
  No. It's absolutely impossible to produce variants of a product. Totally. Which is why you never see the same white goods in the UK and France apart from the different plug and the handle on the other side, etc etc.
  
  --
  Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
9. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by Hognoxious · 2017-07-12 06:23 · Score: 1
  
  On the client != Only on the client.
  
  --
  Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
10. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by DigiShaman · 2017-07-12 06:31 · Score: 1
  
  There are no backdoors. That much is factual, because, gaining access to the MITM data is top secret and thus only accessible by Chinese authorities.
  Trust the state!
  
  --
  Life is not for the lazy.
11. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by ShanghaiBill · 2017-07-12 06:35 · Score: 1
  
  On the client != Only on the client.
  Copying the keychain from the client to the server can not be done without Apple's knowledge.
12. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by ShanghaiBill · 2017-07-12 06:51 · Score: 2
  
  Since Apple has unequivocally said that they would not install backdoors, if they were caught doing it (and they would likely get caught) it would cost them dearly in credibility and market share. They would likely lose hundreds of billions in lost sales.
  Your conspiracy theory is based on ignorance about how China works. If China wanted backdoors on cell phones and/or datacenters they would just openly and publicly mandate it. There is no reason they would try to keep it secret.
  The NSA is trying to detect a handful of spies and terrorists. The CCP is trying to keep 1.3 billion people in line. Those are two very different objectives, requiring very different means.
13. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by Hognoxious · 2017-07-12 07:17 · Score: 1
  
  can not be done without Apple's knowledge != can not be done.
  
  --
  Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
14. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by Hognoxious · 2017-07-12 07:20 · Score: 1
  
  I worked for a Chinese youxian gongsi (LLC), and was a director, while married to the CEO. There was no government member on the board.
  None that you know of.
  
  --
  Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
15. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 08:17 · Score: 0
  
  are you just trying to prove his point that any backdoor could only be done with Apple? Or do you somehow illogically think you have somehow detracted from his original post?
  Anonymous readers everywhere are wondering
16. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by Hognoxious · 2017-07-12 08:38 · Score: 1
  
  He was trying to imply that it can't be done full stop, but without actually saying so because he knows it's wrong.
  It's like when somebody says "to the best of my knowledge". Weasel words, salesman talk, lawyerese.
  What? They catch fire if you drive in third gear for more than 15 seconds? Well I didn't know about that...
  
  --
  Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
17. Re: Interesting quotes from TFA by that+this+is+not+und · 2017-07-12 11:49 · Score: 1
  
  Most Apple customers would suck it up and adjust, and keep buying the shiney.
18. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by ShanghaiBill · 2017-07-12 11:58 · Score: 1
  
  He was trying to imply that it can't be done full stop
  Bullcrap. That is not what I said at all. Learn to read.
19. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by AHuxley · 2017-07-12 12:48 · Score: 1
  
  Re "No backdoors" is a nice way of saying any government gets a copy of all the crypto keys.
  A US brand then has to "respect" a Communist court and hand over any and all information.
  SJW or a Communist Party official finds a comment about the real history of a Communist Party leader? Thats going to get reported and the user found.
  
  The "No backdoors" is getting traction in the free West too.
  It keeps encryption that protects the message but allows the gov and SJW to see every message a user sends or gets.
  Encryption is still a selling point, its just the brand, gov and both users have a access to all devices and content.
  "Austria wants to spy on messaging apps" (July 11, 2017)
  http://www.zdnet.com/article/a...
  ".. would be to install monitoring software on computers and mobile devices of suspects using messaging tools with end-to-end encryption"
  
  --
  Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
Job Creation by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 05:07 · Score: 0

Nice to see Trump is really creating those jobs, eh?
1. Re:Job Creation by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 06:07 · Score: 0
  
  your a doosh
I wonder... by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 05:16 · Score: 0

If any of Apple's Chinese slaves will be committing suicide this time around. To be fair, a Chinaman's life on the railroad is worth something like two pennies, am I right?
1. Re:I wonder... by cayenne8 · 2017-07-12 05:33 · Score: 1
  
  If any of Apple's Chinese slaves will be committing suicide this time around. To be fair, a Chinaman's life on the railroad is worth something like two pennies, am I right?
  Who cares?
  It is their country, THEY need to change it.....
  I thought everyone here was getting tired of the US meddling in the affairs of other countries...?
  While it is sad to watch from the outside, I don't think it is really our call or our business.
  
  --
  Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
2. Re: I wonder... by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 06:21 · Score: 0
  
  It's okay if black people are getting murdered because I'm white. No problem that it's white cops doing it. I love your tribalism.
3. Re: I wonder... by cayenne8 · 2017-07-12 08:57 · Score: 1
  
  It's okay if black people are getting murdered because I'm white. No problem that it's white cops doing it. I love your tribalism.
  I was actually talking about two separate NATIONS and how they rule and govern their own peoples.
  As for your comment, nope, it is horrible how many black people get killed/shot each year, the majority of which is black on black shootings.
  Sad as it is, however, it isn't something that can be legislated out of existence or even moderated by govt.
  That has to be something the black community does for itself...it seems to be black culture based and it has to be dealt with and solved from within that community.
  
  --
  Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
Side doors OK by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 05:37 · Score: 0

No back doors. They'll leave a side door wide open for their communist brothers
apple still trying to sell out to China for sales by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 05:45 · Score: 0

only problem is apple has met it match in corruptness with the Chinese government.
The laws in question are Chinese, FYI by ItsJustAPseudonym · 2017-07-12 05:57 · Score: 1

TFA could not be bothered to clarify this, apparently, but the laws in question are Chinese laws.

At first I thought this was about U.S. cybersecurity laws, and I was thinking "WTF?"
1. Re:The laws in question are Chinese, FYI by Hognoxious · 2017-07-12 06:31 · Score: 1
  
  What you say is true, but common sense should tell you that US law wouldn't mandate locating data centres in China.
  Now if it had said Russia...
  TYIHAW,DFTTYW
  
  --
  Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
Re: Guizhou-Cloud Big Data Industry by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 06:05 · Score: 0

I dunno. Something tells me he might prefer pretty white boys.
All Hail the Mighty Dollar... errr... Yuan! by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 06:26 · Score: 0

Apple - Big proponent of Net Neutrality, H1B visas and an open Internet.
Apple - Hypocritical Company.
Just like all of them.
A rational, informed post based on experience. by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 06:26 · Score: 0

You're new here are you?
apple will not unlock phone for the FBI red chain by Joe_Dragon · 2017-07-12 06:41 · Score: 1

apple will not unlock phone for the FBI BUT are pro red china?? trump is right we need to be more pro usa in the usa!
Re:apple will not unlock phone for the FBI red cha by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 07:26 · Score: 0

Yeah, the 9/11 terrorists came from Saudi Arabia , the Saudi government is highly repressive and Trump just sole how many Billion of arms to them ???
American morals have always been up for sale.
You can thanks the US Govt for that by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-12 13:16 · Score: 0

These kind of "put one country's data within the country" regulations are nothing new, and definitely not unique to China.
You can thanks the US Govt and NSA snooping for that, it has been very clear to everyone who has been paying attention, that any data that was stored or passed through the US will be spied on and subject to US court subpoena. For example, banking regulators around the world had been tightening the requirements on banks to store all data within country, see Singapore for an example of US-friendly country doing that, these things are not limited to US-phobic countries.
That it made a great excuse for multinational companies to spend locally sure helped.
In particular, China always had been extra tight-fisted about keep data within its borders, the actual "news" should be how Apple got away with not doing that for so long. They should have done that on the first day the iPhone officially started selling in China.
How does Apple know if I'm Chinese? by Anonymous Coward · 2017-07-13 18:46 · Score: 0

Does it use the locale set by the user or does it use GPS to see if I am in China?
What if I am a tourist spending a few days in China, will my daily iCloud backups suddenly be sent to China's server?
What if my phone is set to Chinese but I'm living elsewhere?