Chinese Cyber Attacks On Rise: U.S. Report

Chinese Cyber Attacks On Rise: U.S. Report (NSI News Source Info) November 20, 2008: Cyber attacks on U.S. military and defense industry computer systems are increasing, and many of the attacks are coming from China, a U.S. government commission says. "China has recognized the importance of cyber operations as a tool of warfare," the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission says in a report released Nov. 20. "China is targeting U.S. government and commercial computers for espionage," and has developed cyber espionage capabilities so advanced that the U.S. "may be unable to counteract or even detect the efforts," the commission said in the 2008 edition of a report it sends annually to Congress. Such capability makes the U.S. highly vulnerable. U.S. government, military, business and economic institutions "are completely dependent on the Internet," the commission said. So are the nation's electric grid, distribution systems for fuel, water supplies, sewage treatment plants air traffic control and banking. "A successful attack on these Internet-connected networks could paralyze the United States," the report says. In 2007, the 10 most prominent U.S. defense companies, including Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Northrop Grumman, were victims of cyber espionage, the commission reports. Chinese hackers have been able to steal data as diverse as NASA files on the Mars orbiter's propulsion system, solar panels and fuel tanks, Army helicopter mission planning systems and Air Force flight planning software. China has been able to break into the U.S. military's non-classified NIPRNet, which could give it "the potential capability to delay or disrupt U.S. forces without physically engaging them," the commission says. And China continues to strengthen its cyber warfare capabilities. "Many individuals are being trained in cyber operations at Chinese military academies," the commission report says. Chinese-made cyber hardware is a threat, too. Computer and network components made in China could be implanted with malicious code that can be activated later to steal, manipulate or destroy critical data, the commission says. What can Congress do about it? It should consider spending more money on military, intelligence and homeland security programs that protect critical U.S. computer networks and sensitive information, the commission said. The U.S. should also consult with allies about mounting a joint response to Chinese cyber attacks. And Congress should consider additional funding to ensure that critical computer components can be acquired from trustworthy sources, the commission said.