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

Posted by msmash on 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.

27 of 61 comments (clear)

  1. Cybersecutiry = Chinese Government snooping by Oswald+McWeany · · 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 · · Score: 2

      I don't think anyone's even pretending it's about security anymore.

    2. Re:Cybersecutiry = Chinese Government snooping by ShanghaiBill · · 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.

  2. Once again the accountants dictate morality by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    The bad guys win another one.

    1. Re: Once again the accountants dictate morality by Anonymous Coward · · 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 · · 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. Interesting quotes from TFA by 93+Escort+Wagon · · 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 Tablizer · · 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.
    2. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by Tablizer · · 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.
    3. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by ShanghaiBill · · 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.

    4. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by ShanghaiBill · · 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.

    5. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by Hognoxious · · 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."
    6. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      On the client != Only on the client.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    7. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by DigiShaman · · 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.
    8. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by ShanghaiBill · · 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.

    9. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by ShanghaiBill · · 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.

    10. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by Hognoxious · · 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."
    11. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by Hognoxious · · 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."
    12. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by Hognoxious · · 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."
    13. Re: Interesting quotes from TFA by that+this+is+not+und · · Score: 1

      Most Apple customers would suck it up and adjust, and keep buying the shiney.

    14. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by ShanghaiBill · · 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.

    15. Re:Interesting quotes from TFA by AHuxley · · 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"
  4. Re:I wonder... by cayenne8 · · 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.........
  5. The laws in question are Chinese, FYI by ItsJustAPseudonym · · 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 · · 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."
  6. apple will not unlock phone for the FBI red chain by Joe_Dragon · · 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!

  7. Re: I wonder... by cayenne8 · · 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.........