U.S. questioned China about Change.org attack

U.S. questioned China about Change.org attack

www.computerworld.com

IDG News Service - The U.S. State Department questioned the Chinese government about a cyberattack that had temporarily shut down the website Change.org after the site hosted a petition urging Chinese authorities to release artist Ai Weiwei from custody.

U.S. deputy assistant secretary Daniel Baer raised concerns about the attack in April with China's foreign ministry, according to an official letter sent from the State Department to U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.). Change.org obtained a copy

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change.box.net...#/shared/f030mfnr2lfvstyttbyz/1/91260632/779019852/1" target="_blank" class="postlink">https:

The diplomatically-worded letter included such phrases as

...an apparent cyber attack on the U.S. website Change.org shortly after the site carried a petition to the PRC Ministry of Culture seeking the release of Ai Weiwei. Secretary Clinton has been a leading voice for Internet freedom around the world, and has elevated the issue to the top tier ofAmerican foreign poiicy. WOe condemn all cyber attacks that aim to stifle protected speech on the Internet, including via "distributed denial of service," or DDOS.

as well as

The United States continues to be deeply concerned by the trend of forced
disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detentions, and convictions of public interest
lawyers, writers, artists, intellectuals, religious leaders, and activists in China for
exercising their internationally recognized human rights. Assistant Secretary for
Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Michael Posner raised these concerns and
pressed for the release of Ai Weiwei during the U.S-China Human Rights Dialogue
held in Beijing on April 27-28. Deputy Assistant Secretary Dan Baer raised the
case ofChange.org directly with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while in Beijing...

Certainly seems to me that the sensitivity of the world to the cyber-conduct of nations is coming to a head.

Change.org said the DDoS attacks from China continue to bring down the site intermittently. The FBI is investigating the case, said Benjamin Joffe-Walt, an editor with Change.org.

What can the FBI do I wonder? They have no international jurisdiction. And even if they did, I would still wonder what they could actually do.

China has been named the country of origin for several other cyber attacks. This month, Google said it had disrupted a targeted phishing campaign meant to break into the Gmail accounts of government officials, political activists and military personnel. Google said the cybercampaign had originated from Jinan, China.

Previously, the search giant was the victim of another attack coming out of China back in 2009 that was aimed at accessing the Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists.

China, however, has denied it sponsors any cyber attacking, and claims that the country is also a victim of hacking attempts.

I have to wonder what part China's apparent investment in cyber-warfare will play in the days to come? Considering the aritcles assertion about the DDOS attack on Change.org requires hundreds of thousands of zombie computers; is it safe to assume that every PC in China may be a 'soldier' in the cyber army?



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I feel very uneasy about all of the happenings going on in China.... Cyber attacks, aggression towards and from Vietnam, this new project redirecting the water ways from Southern China to Norther China (twice the cost of Three Gorges Dam), Elimination of US debt holdings, the list continues and it is all trending towards the bad not good!

On top of it all my cousin has been living there for over a year and it is difficult to maintain contact w/ her, even with internet access.

Does Clinton calling them out on this throw fuel to the fire? They have always been vocal about their distaste of our actions in the middle east, but have taken little action. The difference is when we dislike actions of other nations we do take action. I'll be keeping a watchful eye, S&F!

reply to post by Maxmars


Very interesting. It seems that an arms race between the US and China is gearing up.

I just posted a thread about a former security Czar that came out and said that China is planting digital bombs in our power grid.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Top Chinese General, "China does not have the capability to challenge the US."

This is a thread from back in May, discussing the People's Liberation Army leader General Chen Bingde, visiting the State's claiming that China does not have the ability to challenge the US. The first thing that came to my mind and many others in the thread was, sun tzu, the art of war: ..."if you are strong, feign weakness." ~Credit to Randomname, for originally posting the quote.

Most people I speak with of China, say there is no way the US would ever go to war with China due to the implications it would cause both economically and physically. I say they are wrong! I see a clear line being drawn, and time is beginning to run short.