Google calls China the world's most dangerous hacker

[Lee J <lee () riskbasedsecurity com>]

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Google-calls-China-the-world's-most-dangerous-hacker-27043.html

Beijing (AsiaNews) - China is the most dangerous hacker in the world, the
worst threat to Internet freedom. Its government backs cybercrimes for
economic and political advantages, this according to Eric Schmidt. Not any
ordinary dissident, *Google* Chairman brands China in his upcoming book, *The
New Digital Age*, as "the world's most active and enthusiastic filterer of
information" and "the most sophisticated and prolific" hacker of foreign
companies. Despite the mounting evidence, China's Communist authorities
reject the charges.

China is widely believed to be the source of major cyber attacks that
occurred between 2006 and 2011 against 72 organisations, including the
International Olympic Committee, the United Nations and security firms, the
*Google* chief alleges.

In 2011, *Google* said hackers based in Jinan province compromised personal
and mail accounts of hundreds of top US officials, military personnel and
journalists.

South Korea blamed Chinese hackers for stealing data from 35 million
accounts on a popular social network in July last year.

The latest charges involve attacks against major US newspapers, including
the *New York Times* and the *Washington Post*, after they published
articles on the wealth of Chinese leaders, like the next president, Xi
Jinping, as well as outgoing premier, Wen Jiabao. The latter is accused of
using his position to enrich his family.

Schmidt's attack has prompted a quick response. "America keeps labelling
China as hackers, simply playing up the rhetoric of the 'China threat' in
cyberspace, providing new justification for America's strategy of
containing China," the *People's Daily* wrote. Yet, "Even those with little
understanding of the internet know that hacking attacks are transnational
and concealable,"

In the book however, set for release in April, Schmidt is quoted as saying,
"The disparity between American and Chinese firms and their tactics will
put both the government and the companies of the United States at a
distinct disadvantage." In fact, Washington "will not take the same path of
digital corporate espionage, as its laws are much stricter (and better
enforced)".

The book goes further, suggesting that Western governments do more to
follow China's lead and develop stronger relationships between the state
and technology companies.

This is a veiled reference to Huawei, China's giant telecommunications
equipment maker, which is thought to work closely with Chinese authorities.

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