- Payroll tax deal close: Why did Republicans back down? (+video)
- Israel says Bangkok, Delhi, and Tbilisi attacks all linked – to Iran
- Rick Santorum's new machine-gun ad: Will it work? (+video)
- As Sarkozy seeks new term, French are wary of 'Merkozy' (+video)
- Honduras prison fire kills more than 300, highlights regional problem (+video)
Alleged Chinese hacker attack stirs fears of digital cold war
President Bush may confront China over suspicions that its military hacked US defense computer systems.
(Page 2 of 3)
Skip to next paragraph
External Links
- Suspected terror plot thwarted in Germany (The Irish Examiner)
- Russia to sell arms to Indonesia (British Broadcasting Corp.)
- Congo army drives off rebels in key region (Independent Online)
"As a matter of fact, China has never had so called military hackers," he said, reacting to allegations against the Chinese army.
According to an annual report issued by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, titled "Military Power of the People's Republic of China 2007," the PLA has developed a systemized, albeit unofficial method of using cyberattacks as part of any major military operation.
The PLA is investing in electronic countermeasures, defenses against electronic attack (e.g., electronic and infrared decoys, angle reflectors, and false target generators), and computer network operations (CNO). China's CNO concepts include computer network attack, computer network defense, and computer network exploitation. The PLA sees CNO as critical to achieving "electromagnetic dominance" early in a conflict. Although there is no evidence of a formal Chinese CNO doctrine, PLA theorists have coined the term "Integrated Network Electronic Warfare" to prescribe the use of electronic warfare, CNO, and kinetic strikes to disrupt battlefield network information systems.
The PLA has established information warfare units to develop viruses to attack enemy computer systems and networks, and tactics and measures to protect friendly computer systems and networks. In 2005, the PLA began to incorporate offensive CNO into its exercises, primarily in first strikes against enemy networks.
US President George W. Bush has signaled that he may confront Chinese President Hu Jintao about the alleged electronic espionage, commenting that the US relationship with China is "complex." Meanwhile, as China's military has recently seen the "unprecedented expansion and modernization of its military," Australia, which is currently hosting the leaders of both the US and China for the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation Forum, has expressed concerns that its computer systems may also be a target for PLA hackers, reports TheSydney Morning Herald.
Last night, the former senior official with responsibility for the Pine Gap spy station near Alice Springs, Ron Huisken, warned the claimed hacking by the Chinese military into sensitive US defence computer systems could be repeated in Australia.
Dr Huisken said having an ability to enter the computerised defence systems of others and disable them in the event of conflict had become a "holy grail".
"The Chinese are open in recognising it as a force multiplier," he said.
