Feb 19, 2013

Steve Weber on the U.S.-China “Cyber-War”

From the San Francisco Chronicle

Cyber-war between U.S., China

By James Temple

A prominent computer security firm has traced the activity of one of the world's most sophisticated hacking groups to the gates of the Chinese military, underscoring critical weaknesses in both our cyber-defenses and trade policies.

Mandiant's detailed 60-page analysis, first reported in the New York Times on Sunday, adds to the mounting evidence that Beijing plays a direct hand in ongoing espionage of U.S. corporations....

A foreign nation tiptoeing past the firewalls of companies in charge of our critical infrastructure is a real problem that demands a real response. Some have suggested the ongoing digital attacks originating in China are tantamount to war. But let's all take a deep breath before arguing for cyber-counterstrikes that risk escalation with the world's most populous nation.

Moreover, as UC Berkeley professor Steven Weber points out, if this constitutes war, we're already neck deep in WW III. Russia, Iran, North Korea, Romania and other nations actively utilize cyber-attacks, according to various reports.

"It's a cyber-war of all against all," said Weber, a China expert at the School of Information....

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Last updated:

October 4, 2016