Joint ventures by US tech firms with China pose cyberwar risk: report

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2012/030812-china-cyberwar-risk-257093.html

By Ellen Messmer
Network World
March 08, 2012

Should conflict occur, China's cyberwar plans target the U.S., and 
today's Chinese joint ventures with U.S. manufacturers in hardware, 
software and telecommunications create a "potential vector" for the 
People's Liberation Army (PLA) to exploit and compromise, says a report 
from the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission sent to 
Capitol Hill today.

The report, "Occupying the Information High Ground: Chinese Capabilities 
for Computer Network Operations and Cyber Espionage," was researched 
under mandate by Congress when it first formed the external Washington, 
D.C.-based U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission to 
undertake ongoing research about relations between the two countries. 
The report, written by information security analysts from Northrop 
Grumman, says that leaders in the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) 
"have embraced the idea that successful warfighting is predicated on the 
ability to exert control over an adversary's information and information 
systems, often preemptively."

The report claims China is actively planning out how it could attack 
U.S. military operations. The report also notes that at least 50 
civilian universities in China are receiving funding aimed at developing 
cyberwar capabilities for the military under at least five established 
national grant programs.

A cyberstrike could occur in advance of any physical military 
confrontation, the report states. "Chinese commanders may elect to use 
deep access to critical U.S. networks carrying logistics and command and 
control data to collect highly valuable real-time intelligence or to 
corrupt the data without destroying the networks or hardware."

[...]


______________________________________________________________________________
Certified Ethical Hacker and CISSP training with Expanding Security gives
the best training and support.  Get a free live class invite weekly.  Best
program, best price. http://www.ExpandingSecurity.com/PainPill