[ISN] Beijing goes on hacking defensive

[InfoSec News]

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=2&art_id=7809&sid=5899047&con_type=1&d_str=20051214

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
December 14, 2005

China has reacted to speculation that its military is trying to
penetrate computer networks in the United States, saying hacking is
against Chinese law.

"We have clear stipulations against hacking. No one can use the
Internet to engage in illegal activities," foreign ministry spokesman
Qin Gang told a regular briefing Tuesday.

"The Chinese police will deal with hacking and other activities
disturbing social order in accordance with law."

Qin was responding to a reported claim by the head of a leading US
security institute that the People's Liberation Army is most likely
behind a systematic effort to penetrate US government and industry
computer networks.

The attacks have been traced to Guangdong, said Alan Paller, the
director of the SANS Institute, an education and research organization
focusing on cybersecurity, Monday.

Paller said the techniques used made it appear unlikely to come from
any other source than the Chinese military.

"I'm not sure about the American accusations," Qin said.

"If they have proof, they should tell us."

Pentagon officials confirmed earlier this year that US Defense
Department Web sites are probed hundreds of times a day by hackers,
but maintained that no classified site is known to have been
penetrated by hackers.

The US military has code-named the recent hacker effort "Titan Rain"  
and has made some strides in counter-hacking to identify the
attackers, according to Paller.

© 2005 The Standard