For years, Chinese cyber-espionage has been draining technological and military secrets from our companies and government. We've traced it back. Know what they are doing. And we are striking back asymmetrically:
Apparently the U.S. leadership has secretly agreed, after years of requests, to let the Pentagon retaliate via the Internet. Thus China's complaints about being hacked have credence. In fact, this declaration of open season on China could do a lot of untraceable (or at least deniable) damage to China's economy, not to mention the security of their government and military networks. With all the corruption going on in China, especially by senior Chinese officials and their families, selective leaks of some secret documents, or just the gist of what was in them, could do a lot of damage to the Chinese leadership. It looks like round two of the first Cyber War is entering phase two, as the victims strike back.
That speaks a world of difference between our two societies, no? China steals our secrets so their government can exploit them.
Our government will still their secrets to reveal them to the Chinese people so their government can exploit the people a little less.
We'll see who loses more valuable information.
