[infowar.de] WP über CIA-Report China/Cyberangriffe

["Dr. Martin Kahl" <mwkahl -! - muenster - de>]

Infowar.de, http://userpage.fu-berlin.de/~bendrath/liste.html
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Der Artikel aus der Washington Post verst=E4rkt den Eindruck =FCber den CI=
A-Report: 
Nichts wissen und das Schlimmste annehmen.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A50900-2002Apr25?language=3Dprint=
er


Worries of Cyberattacks on U.S. Are Aired 
Chinese Military Is Looking for Ways; Students Seen Gearing Up for Disrupt=
ions 

By Bill Miller
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, April 26, 2002; Page A26 

U.S. officials warned yesterday that the Chinese military may be searching=
 for ways 
to attack defense and civilian computer networks in the United States and =
Taiwan.
But they said intelligence analysts have concluded that China so far lacks=
 the ability 
to cause much disruption.

The assessment was included in a classified report recently issued by the =
CIA that 
also warned of a more immediate cybersecurity concern involving Chinese st=
udents.

Although the Chinese military cannot yet disrupt key computer systems, "yo=
u have to 
be mindful of it and concerned they might have that goal," a U.S. governme=
nt
official said yesterday. "The Chinese themselves have acknowledged, in the=
ir own 
press, their interest."

But Chinese students could be planning a series of cyberattacks against U.=
S. 
government and business Web sites during the next several weeks; it's simi=
lar to
widespread hacking that took place a year ago after the collision of a U.S=
. Navy 
surveillance aircraft and a Chinese jet fighter over the South China Sea, =
said the
official, who asked not to be identified. 

There is no evidence tying those "harassment" activities to the Chinese mi=
litary, the 
official said.

In the past, students have used Chinese servers to spread computer viruses=
 and 
deface or overwhelm U.S. Web sites, the official said. 

With spring break coming up, and the passing of the anniversary of the air=
 collision, 
authorities believe Chinese students are gearing up for a wave of attacks =
to spread
political messages, the official said.

The CIA recently issued the classified report warning government policymak=
ers, the 
Defense Department, U.S. diplomats and law enforcement agencies to watch f=
or
Chinese student hackers trying to spread computer viruses or deface Intern=
et sites.

The same report included an assessment that the Chinese government lacks t=
he 
ability to "carry out its intended goal" of disrupting Taiwanese computer =
systems or 
U.S. military logistics, according to a source familiar with the findings.=
 The report and 
its contents were first made public yesterday by the Los Angeles Times.

A CIA spokesman said the agency does not comment on intelligence reports. 
Officials at the Chinese Embassy in Washington did not return telephone me=
ssages
seeking comment.

Toshi Yoshihara, a research fellow with the Institute for Foreign Policy A=
nalysts, said 
the Chinese military views cyberwarfare as "a way to overcome America's mi=
litary 
superiority" and a means to keep the United States from interfering in any=
 conflict 
with Taiwan, or to at least disrupt U.S. military communications in the ea=
rly
stages of a battle.

Yoshihara, a specialist on China's military and China-Taiwan relations, sa=
id that 
developing the ability to disable military and civilian computer systems i=
s important 
to the Chinese because it fits a "strategy of winning without fighting, at=
 minimal cost." 
He said cyberattacks carry with them the element of surprise and can alarm=
 the 
public.

Although Pentagon and CIA officials and scholars have been monitoring 
developments for years, Yoshihara said it is difficult to gauge China's te=
chnological 
capacity because of its military secrecy.

"We frankly know very little about what the Chinese have been developing i=
n recent 
years," he said. "We should remain vigilant." 

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