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Saturday, November 20, 2010

Code War

We have pointed out China's cyber-"activities" and China accuses us of Cold War thinking:

The Defense Department is aware that Internet traffic was rerouted briefly through China earlier this year, a Pentagon spokesman said on Friday, referring to what a congressionally appointed panel has described as a hijack. ...

In Beijing, China's Foreign Ministry on Friday condemned the commission's report on China's military capabilities and economic policies, saying it distorted reality and was symptomatic of Cold War thinking. ...

Dean Cheng, an expert on Chinese security issues at the conservative Heritage Foundation, said the alleged Internet hijacking appeared to be part of what he described as a disturbing pattern of aggressive Chinese cyber activities.

"All of this suggests that, from China's view, a global conflict is already underway - in the virtual world of cyberspace," he wrote. "The ability to redirect vast amounts of data constitutes a threat, not only to national security, but also to private companies and individuals, as their information, too, has now been put at risk."

No, this wouldn't be a Cold War for winning the allegiance of other countries. This is shaping up to be a Code War where we more aggressively battle in cyber-space. Will Stuxnet be the wave of the future, but one used by the major powers against each other? Or to punish small nations that won't cooperate?