China urges banks to remove IBM servers over espionage concerns

China urges banks to remove IBM servers over espionage concerns

China is calling on banks to stop using IBM servers and replace them with local-made machines amid fears that the nation’s financial security might be compromised via the US-based company’s servers, a Bloomberg report has revealed.

The new request comes amid an intensified spy scandal between China and the US.

. . .

China announced last week that it would be investigating providers of important IT products and services following the row.

The country’s foreign ministry announced that it is suspending activities of the Sino-US internet working group. Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system was banned from government computers last week.

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1. What Hardware would/could replace the IBMs ???
( what are their "local-made systems" choices ... including operating systems/software ... )

2. What Operating Systems would/could replace their WindowsX ???

Remember/Note: These are ... BANKING-SYSTEMS-n-APPLICATIONS!

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OPINION: This will be ... NO Easy Task ( i.e. What's Up? ) !!!
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In answer to question #2, Linux.

ITNews.com

China may look at the open source Linux as a replacement for Windows, following an official ban on Microsoft's Windows 8 for government procured computers.

Chinese Government news agency Xinhua published an article claiming Chinese vendors are using a ban on Windows 8 to push Linux-based OS variants.

According the the reports, Chinese developers may receive "preferential policy" treatment and official support for developing Linux-based operating systems.

The Linux distributions and other locally developed programs are often "are created in accordance with Chinese people's habits" and as such "beat foreign rivals", the official news agency recorded.

a reply to: Elton

Any Operating System that has a Word Processor and Browser would likely be fine to use as Standard-User.

What is being reported here, relates to ... BANKING.

AND

Banking-Applications NEED to be (MUST be) ... Absolutely-Accurate AND Error-Free !!!

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EXAMPLES: Deposits, Withdrawls, Transfers ( locally to internationally ), Charges/Fees, Taxes, and many many more functions !!!

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OPINION: Just a FEW Minor-Screw-Ups ( in BANKING ) could easily accumulate to a ... MASSIVE-SNOWBALLING-CATASTROPHY !!!
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a reply to: FarleyWayne

The people who write banking software in China can presumably target a different operating system.

originally posted by: Elton
a reply to: FarleyWayne

The people who write banking software in China can presumably target a different operating system.

"presume" and/or "assume" don't mix with money ... ( i.e. there is no room for mistakes ).

These two terms are most likely; a lot of the reasons that the world is in such a mess as it is.

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I do understand where you are coming from AND I'm really not ( and don't mean to be ) that big of a smart-a$$.

a reply to: FarleyWayne

I don't think they will make any major changes any time soon. But if they really really want to do it, I bet that they can.

a reply to: FarleyWayne

I see this as a very positive move. Both for the Server industry, as well as applications development - that including banking.

China is a prominent, world's largest market for pretty much anything. Where they go, rest will follow.

Today, Chinese government requires foreign software to undergo their own version of Common Criteria testing - thus source code is always checked by the government there. For many Western software vendors, this requirement alone is today a trade barrier, upon concerns of IP violations Chinese markets are known to suffer from. However, what they are concerned of - we should be too!

This move to go for safe and secure solutions by the Chinese, will mark start for a substantial trend, and major wave of investments globally. It will also mean, the China will close its doors for foreign software and applications, and within 10 years become self-sufficient dominator even on that market.

originally posted by: Elton
a reply to: FarleyWayne

I don't think they will make any major changes any time soon. But if they really really want to do it, I bet that they can.

China's Moon rover awake but immobile

China’s Moon rover Yutu, or ‘Jade Rabbit’, has stopped hopping. But its ears are still twitching — and communicating with Earth.
. . .
Much of the purpose of having a rover is lost, though, if Yutu can no longer gather data from different areas.

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OPINIONs:

1. Something like their rover can partilly work and not harm anyone/anything.

2. Banking is entirely another story and will take many more years to replace their current system than anyone ... "assumes" or "presumes".

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SUMMARY: We "politely" Agree to Disagree.
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I am amazed that China ever used a windows based OS to drive the banking sector.

Most likely a combination of a linux OS with windows based remote users, that would be easy enough to get around.

The ban calls for stopping IBM servers, which is entirely understandable, don't China make servers?

all they need to do is run hercules on a linux box and you can run mainframe code pretty much as if its still on the original iron assuming they can get the licenses for the z series boxes to transfer (but you can just change the law to allow it since you are the law)

but really its just a bit of diplomatic willy waving as the banks won't want to change and any change would take years to sort out with all the testing/verification required so by then they'll of forgotten about it and everything will carry on

originally posted by: Maxatoria
all they need to do is run hercules on a linux box and you can run mainframe code pretty much as if its still on the original iron assuming they can get the licenses for the z series boxes to transfer (but you can just change the law to allow it since you are the law)

but really its just a bit of diplomatic willy waving as the banks won't want to change and any change would take years to sort out with all the testing/verification required so by then they'll of forgotten about it and everything will carry on

Remember, it's the CODE that China doesn't want ( or is trying to get away from ).

SO

It appears that there MUST be a rewrite or replacement ... ( but from where?, by whom? ).

HOWEVER

I DO LIKE ( and unable to disagree with ) your description for the remainder of your ( Entertainingly-Unique ) OBSERVATION !!!
.

a reply to: Maxatoria

'Willy waving" Eh! What a hoot as indeed is China getting worried about the USA's technology and dodgy use of it.
China is the country of blatant patent breaking and has been for a long time.

I saw a late night tv programme when a group of government people from both the EU and London were discussing China and the way it spies and lies about its spying by accusing others first of its own ittle indiscretions.

About 50 years ago I remember my parents talking with friends about who was the greatest threat since WW2 and someone said China. Everyone else laughed and went on to russia as it was the then bogeyman and threat to world peace with WMDs and heavens know what else.

What amazes me is that noone ever wonders how it is that we even have Chinese take-aways in virtually every single tiny village (with a pub of course) being British. We have a Chinese network in place all over this country so, nowhere to hide if the Chinese were ever to come to our shores with inhospitable intentions. I wonder if other Westernised countries are the same?

The source code to the Z/OS itself is probably available to any government agency around the world with the right paperwork just like it is for windows so theres not going to be any deliberate exploits hiding in that, what the Chinese are worrying about is hiding it in the firmware for various bits of hardware where its much harder to see or detect especially if its designed to sit there until activated as they saw the report on the NSA altering cisco routers in transit and probably think...hmmm what happens if they did something like that with a comms card especially one that comes in as spares and repairs not at the day it was installed

but really its nothing more than some diplomatic game being played out and could even be part of a contract renegotiation ploy to save a bit on licensing/maintenance costs

They are having trouble finding replacement vacuum tubes. Plus they don't like having to walk a football field to find the burned out tubes that need replacing.

They're going to upgrade to transistors now.

I dont think them switching to Chinese servers makes a bit of difference they already hacked Chinese servers in fact they built a backdoor in everyone they sold. The Cineses were selling these servers to countries who specifically wanted non american products to prevent spying. Isnt it ironic NSA got access to computers they normally wouldnt have been able to access. Never underestimate the hackers in the NSA.

N.S.A. Breached Chinese Servers Seen as Security Threat

www.nytimes.com...

"can no longer gather data from different areas."

fancy speak for,, folders wont open,,,

gee sounds like a tuffy,,

try control alt delete?

lol


a reply to: FarleyWayne

The reason the Chinese don't want to use Windows 8 is the same reason the Russians have switched mobile phones form iphone to samsung. The NSA puts spy capabilities in all US software for computers and phones. These are the people who created Stuxnet. US intelligence agencies are the main culprit behind most hacking activities, stealing trade secrets, money from bank accounts, etc. This is why they have been warning the country for over 20 years about the cyber threat and terrorism threat from foreign countries. That has always been their modus operandi: blame others for what you are already doing or plan to do.