China, this based cyberattack, and U.S. Media

The New York Times revealed that U.S. computer networks in China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) 61398 unit hacked increasingly organized hostility controversial U.S. China has emerged as the latest attack. In great detail - the story of Chinese hacking after fresh evidence presented offers more questions than answers.

Who, exactly, 61398 units allowed by the attacks?


On the surface, this question seems silly and unnecessary - China's political system, like the U.S., under civilian leadership, the military does. However, PLA has constantly worked with great autonomy, and occasional rumors that China's political leaders do not always know the army is doing. James Lewis, cyber Chinese Strategic and International Studies and a senior fellow at the Centre for Security expert, put it this way: "New York Times, the Chinese government for the first time by reading this story I encountered some parts of was. "61398 instead of reporting units may force the political, Iran?

Because of these conditions is suspected. The power of cyberspace as the Chinese government has clearly attempted to increase the capacity, and the hacking is a major strategic objective.

China is the only country in which organized cyber attacks? Why is this?

According to Lewis, there are five countries that stand out as having significant potential cyber espionage are: China, Russia, France, Israel, and America's ability, of course, does not mean that intent, and to all a mistake. the same as cyber attacks. America, after all, famous aimed at Iran's nuclear program, the New York Times' David Sanger described the operation in a great and vivid detail to disrupting organized a series of attacks. China says cyber attacks launched against another country is clearly wrong.

However, Adam Segal, Maurice B. For China Studies Greenberg Senior Fellow for the Council on Foreign Relations, believes that the scale and scope of cyber conflict is the largest in China. "There is a sense of competition metabolism," he said, "and that other countries lack resources to China." U.S. conventional military power, which is far lower - its strategic competitors can get an asymmetrical advantage, in terms of relations with the United States Beijing, China, in which an area is cyber. Continue investing in the country's armed forces, U.S. military power in Pacific China and U.S. allies in the region is hemmed by a wire, Beijing can benefit from a strong urging to .

China also has motives beyond the simple national security concerns.The "indigenous innovation" efforts to promote more fruit yet, so as a result, Lewis said, Beijing has adopted a "stopgap Western technology to get closer to our goal of using solution for. " Commercial purposes in violation of the PLA compared with China to strengthen the weak U.S. institutions may be less.

The United States is how to respond?

Just eight days ago, the Obama Administration a voluntary program for organizations to adopt stringent cyber security program issued an executive order creating, evidence that the White House threatened by foreign hackers are unaware of the problem.

With an increase in the frequency of reported cyber attacks, there is a growing sense that the United States would respond to these provocations have forced. James Lewis predicted that this year the issue "will come head", and the answer is that Washington, for example, the Chinese population in some communities may restrict access to visas will be presented. Trade restrictions, both with WTO rules, China and the United States symbiotic nature of economic relations, but also less likely to seem within the realm of possibility. All said, though, deliberately escalating tensions with China deficiency is not a whole lot you can do in Washington.

What are we to learn from this story?

Times last fall, former Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, the people themselves "Grandpa Wen", referring to self-love "people person" great secret of wealth has posted an article to appear. Revenge Chinese hacks - detailed here - Times investigation that led directly led strip PLA unit 61398.

China has long been uneasy relationship with Western media, often as thinly veiled attempts to discredit the country than as a report in newspapers as The New York Times dismissed. But by China decides to retaliate against the foreign press now has produced unintended consequences. If Beijing Wen Jiabao last autumn ignored the story, a series of events leading from 61398 units is likely never materialized. A key lesson from this story is that a major news organization - unusually concerned about his safety - is potentially capable of earth shattering discoveries.