After numerous claims that an entity in China has been hacking external government computer networks, China has reported suffering “massive” and “shocking” stolen military and state secrets by means of an Internet plagued with security flaws.

In June 2007, the Pentagon’s computer network was hacked, leading to a one week shutdown of it’s computer network. Current and former officials of the Pentagon recently reported to the Financial Times that they believe, through investigating, the People’s Liberation Army, the military of the People’s Republic of China, was to blame for the cyber-attacks.

Germany’s government systems were suspected to be hacked, causing German chancellor, Angela Merkel, to complain to Chinese premier, Wen Jiabao. China named the allegations “wild” and “groundless,” and said it was opposed to “Internet-wrecking crimes.”

Francis Delon, Secretary-General of the National Defence in France, reported that it’s government computer systems had been compromised by Chinese cyber-attacks; China responded, “We don’t have any information on that.”

“We have proof that there is involvement with China. But I am prudent. When I say China, this does not mean the Chinese government,” said Delon.

Allegations that the Chinese attempted to hack into government computer networks in New Zealand, Japan, Australia, and the United Kingdom have also recently surfaced; though, New Zealand Prime Minister, Helen Clark, stresses that China is not specifically being accused — it’s hard to point the finger.

But is China now playing the victim? China has stated that its own government has suffered “massive” and “shocking” stolen military and state secrets.

Writing in the Chinese Cadres Tribune, Vice Minister of Information Industry, Lou Qinjian, said, “In recent years Party, government and military organs and national defence scientific research units have had many major cases of loss, theft and leakage of secrets, and the damage to national interests has been massive and shocking.”

Mr. Qinjian blames the Internet, claiming it ”has become the main technological channel for external espionage activities against our core, vital departments.”

China may be trying to say, “Hey, we’ve been hacked too,” or just simply trying to mask its nation within the pool of cyber-attack victims to revert the blame on the Internet and its illusion of security.

Either way, it’s hard to play the victim when the world is pointing the finger.

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Entry was posted on Wednesday, September 12th, 2007 at 4:07 pm under Internet, Security.

Read more entries by George Gardner.
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