Cyberwar declared as China hunts for the West’s intelligence secrets

technology.timesonline.co.uk...

Urgent warnings have been circulated throughout Nato and the European Union for secret intelligence material to be protected from a recent surge in cyberwar attacks originating in China.

The attacks have also hit government and military institutions in the United States, where analysts said that the West had no effective response and that EU systems were especially vulnerable because most cyber security efforts were left to member states.

Nato diplomatic sources told The Times: “Everyone has been made aware that the Chinese have become very active with cyber-attacks and we’re now getting regular warnings from the office for internal security.” The sources said that the number of attacks had increased significantly over the past 12 months, with China among the most active players.

In the US, an official report released on Friday said the number of attacks on Congress and other government agencies had risen exponentially in the past year to an estimated 1.6 billion every month.

The Chinese cyber-penetration of key offices in both Nato and the EU has led to restrictions in the normal flow of intelligence because there are concerns that secret intelligence reports might be vulnerable.

Sources at the Office for Cyber Security at the Cabinet Office in London, set up last year, said there were two forms of attack: those focusing on disrupting computer systems and others involving “fishing trips” for sensitive information. A special team has been set up at GCHQ, the government communications headquarters in Gloucestershire, to counter the growing cyber-threat affecting intelligence material. The team becomes operational this month.

British and American cyber defences are among the most sophisticated in the world, but “the EU is less competent”, James Lewis, of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, said. “The porousness of the European institutions makes them a good target for penetration. They are of interest to the Chinese on issues from arms sales and nuclear non-proliferation to Tibet and energy.”

The lack of routine intelligencesharing between the US and the EU also contributes to the vulnerability of European systems, another analyst said. “Because of Britain’s intelligence-sharing relationship with America our systems have to be up to their standards in a way that some of the European systems don’t,” he explained.

Jonathan Evans, Director-General of MI5, warned in 2007 that several states were actively involved in large-scale cyber-attacks. Although he did not specify which states were involved, security officials have indicated that China now poses the gravest threat. Beijing has denied making such attacks.

Robert Mueller, FBI Director, has warned that, in addition to the danger of foreign states making cyber-attacks, al-Qaeda could in the future pose a similar threat. In a speech to a security conference last week, Mr Mueller said terrorist groups had used the internet to recruit members and to plan attacks, but added: “Terrorists have \ shown a clear interest in pursuing hacking skills and they will either train their own recruits or hire outsiders with an eye towards combining physical attacks with cyber-attacks.”

He said that a cyber-attack could have the same impact as a “well-placed bomb”. Mr Mueller also accused “nation-state hackers” of seeking out US technology, intelligence, intellectual property and even military weapons and strategies.To help to fight the growing threat, the Office of Cyber Security, set up last year as part of the Government’s national security strategy, liaises with America’s so-called cyber czar, Howard Schmidt, who was appointed by President Obama to protect sensitive government computers.

British officials said that everyone in sensitive jobs had been warned to be especially cautious about disseminating intelligence and other classified information. Whether British intelligence is involved in retaliatory attacks is never confirmed. However, officials said that there was a significant difference between being part of an information war and indulging in aggressive attacks to disrupt another country’s computer systems.

Dr Lewis said that neither the US nor any of its Western allies had formed an effective response to the Chinese threat, which has its origins in a massive boost to Chinese technology ordered by Deng Xiaoping, the late Chinese leader, in 1986. The West’s own cyber offensives have so far been directed largely at terrorists rather than nation states, giving China virtually free rein to penetrate Western systems with its own world-class hackers and increasingly popular Chinese-made components. “You almost have to admire them,” Dr Lewis said. “They have been very consistent in their goals.”

Here we go.... whilst Obama thinks he can persuade China to back sanctions against Iran with Saudi Oil bribes, the Chinese are learning western secrets, and our only response it to ask them to stop hacking into our systems.

If the Chinese are feeling bold enough they may even start to back states like N.Korea and Iran more openly.

[edit on 8-3-2010 by john124]

Wow, expect something to go really down fast on this issue very soon...!
2nd line


[edit on 8-3-2010 by Zagari]

reply to post by Zagari


I suspect the US has some new toys developed in Area 51 that will be put to use to combat these security issues. Maybe giving China a false sense of superiority. Just don't share too many secrets with the EU.

[edit on 8-3-2010 by john124]

Big Brother Will Be Watching You

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/546ba2d0e8f0.jpg[/atsimg]

Well Congress and the likes may be vulnerable by being internet NOOBS with their Gmail, Hotmail and what have you else accounts. The Pentagons vital systems are stand alone. They may find out more dirty laundry about our politicians than we know but the most sensitive secrets are safe.


There is a "Cyber Security" program in the works with over 10.000 different aspects. It's still not here yet. Stay tuned. I'm pretty sure there will be some civil liberties that go down the drain for US citizens when activated all in the name of "National Security"

U.S. Has Launched a Cyber Security ‘Manhattan Project,’ Homeland Security Chief Claims

SAN FRANCISCO — The federal government has launched a cyber security "Manhattan Project," U.S. homeland security secretary Michael Chertoff said Tuesday, because online attacks can be a form of "devastating warfare", and equivalent in damage to "physical destruction of the worst kind."

Speaking to hundreds of security professionals at the RSA security conference, Chertoff cited last year’s denial-of-service attacks against Estonia, and hypothetical hack attacks on financial networks and air traffic control systems, as proof that a federal strategy was needed.

"Imagine, if you will, a sophisticated attack on our financial systems that caused them to be paralyzed," Chertoff said. "It would shake the foundation of trust on which our financial system works."

That digital mushroom cloud scenario means the government’s role in computer security must extend beyond federal networks, and reach to shared responsibility for financial, telecommunication and transportation infrastructure, Chertoff said. "The failure of any single system has cascading effects across our country," Chertoff said.

[edit on 8-3-2010 by SLAYER69]

It is too easy to be smug about cyber attacks originating in China. Are we all so dumb that we cannot understand that NATO are cyber attacking into China ? Obviously you're implying that it is naughty if China hack into the Pentagon but it is okay and "patriotic" and applauded if the pentagon hack into China. Lets be realistic. Personally I try very hardly to be above this kind of tit for tat conflict. Taking side in any conflict will thus result in one being a part of that conflict. Probably a casualty of that conflict too. Albert Einstien once said "I do not know with what weapons World War 3 will be fought. However I know that World War 4 will be fought with sticks and stones". The word "intelligence" is being perverted. The military aught to stop corrupting our English Language. Instead of using the word "intelligence" they aught to use the following "Reconnaissance Data". The word "intelligence" means "To be in Communication with God". Or "To be in Communication with Angellic Beings". Being militarism [trusting in violence] is not particularly intelligent. Their comprehension of the English Language is in need of correction.

[edit on 8/3/2010 by CAELENIUM]

reply to post by CAELENIUM


No offense but...

We have seen the signs of attacks from the East what proof do you have that the West is attacking the East? I know of individuals and groups of civilian "Hackers" from both sides attacking each others countries business sites and official governments websites in a good old fashion game of one upsmenship but an Official coordinated policy?

reply to post by john124


Would you like to give us more information, if you can, about this?
Do you think Usa can really challenge China in that way?
Usa has some heavy issue with China, I think they have to stay prudent every action they decide...

Maybe this will be the long awaited Congressional order to shut down the internet.

Or just an excuse for Congress to step in and tell the citizens that they now control it.

Good find. Keep your eyes peeled.
This might be the match that lights the firestorm of internet control.

This isn't entirely china. I used to tear up corporate networks with a group of guys I met back in the BBS days. The guys I knew started playing with chinese networks and decided to start using rootkits on the Chinese military networks. After keylogging for a few months those guys discovered that the lax passwords gave them access to lots of Chinese military networks.

I fell out of the know with those guys, but I believe them to be a large force behind anything that the mainstream news says"Chinese hackers did it" as the guys I knew could easily be hacking into US networks.

just some food for thought.

Related info on China-Iran relations.

Iran to Allow China to Drill in the Gulf

China has signed a deal with Iran allowing it to drill for oil in the Gulf despite U.S. pressure on China to enforce tougher sanctions on Iran

Iran and China have signed an agreement to allow China to set-up an oilrig in the Gulf despite increasing international calls to enforce tougher sanctions against Iran.

In a deal worth $143 million between the Iranian North Drilling Company and China Petroleum Technology Development Corporation, the latter will be allowed to drill for oil in the Gulf, according to the official Iranian news agency Press TV.

“In recent months with the Chinese U.S. bilateral problems, China is using Iran as a leverage against the U.S. and not complying with the [United Nations] Security Council in applying sanctions against Iran,” Dr Mehrdad Khonsari, Senior Research Consultant, Centre for Arab and Iranian Studies in London, told The Media Line.

“The story is that in the field of oil China has become a vital part of the Iranian oil sector,” he added. “China has previously signed deals for oil exploration on land that was taken over by Japan who backed out over Western pressure.”

According to Press TV, China has commitments of more than $80 billion in the country's energy sector, receiving more than 15 percent of its oil from Iran.

Nice Try!

Some will evedently see bogeymen under their beds.

One wonder's if this could be the all important story, while the rest of the world monitors actual war type events, could the cyberworld be where the line is finally crossed, that initiates what we all dread, or wish not to happen. After all, what type of attack is more costly, in this modern world: property, human life, or the all important cyberworld, and it's connection to the almighty $$$$$. With any type of huge disruption the world of commerce could be enormously impacted, as well as defense for all countries, and all types of information which now flows freely. It would seem that this would be where the battle lies, not in armed men, and their weapons, but with highly schooled and intelligent cyberwarriors who when provoked or sent into battle, can do as much, if not more damage to the world, through a few well placed keystrokes. My opinion yes, but, the posibilities are, it seems, "out there"....

reply to post by freetree64


It will be front page info if somebody important enough gets the content of their emails spammed all over the interwebs.