[ISN] Chinese hackers attack Taiwan military news agency ahead of drill

[InfoSec News]

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/96583/1/.html

20 July 2004 

TAIPEI: Suspected Chinese hackers have launched an offensive against
the website of Taiwan's Military News Agency ahead of practice freeway
landings by fighter jets on the island, the defense ministry said.

The attack took place on Monday night and the agency affiliated with
the ministry was forced to close down its website, the ministry said.

The hackers replaced the agency's homepage with a slogan that said
'Reunification with Taiwan in 2021', it said.

An identical attack occurred a month ago when suspected Chinese
hackers attacked the site of Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian's
pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party.

Hong Kong's pro-Beijing Wen Wei Po daily last week quoted Chinese
military sources as warning Taiwan must re-enter the Chinese fold or
face military action within the next 20 years.

In response to Taiwan's recent "pro-independence provocation," Beijing
gave what was believed to be the first ultimatum to reclaim
sovereignty over the island, it said.

Unnamed military sources were quoted as saying former Chinese
president and Central Military Commission chairman Jiang Zemin had
recently discussed a timetable regarding using force to achieve
Taiwan's reunification in a speech at a military conference in
Beijing.

The fresh Internet attack came two days before Taiwanese air force is
due to practice emergency landings on a freeway as part of measures
against an attack by China, the defense ministry said.

Two French-made Mirage 2000-5s are set to land, refuel and load
ammunition on the road in Tainan, southern Taiwan.

The exercise is designed to "review the air force's capability in
using freeways for emergency landings and logistic support in case of
war," defense ministry spokesman Huang Suey-sheng told reporters.

Since Chen's re-election in March, China has ratcheted up its
rhetoric, reiterating its long-standing vow to take Taiwan by force
should Chen move the island towards formal independence.

Beijing has considered Taiwan part of its territory awaiting
reunification since the two sides split at the end of a civil war in
1949.