http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/new-approach-to-china.html

A new approach to China
1/12/2010 03:00:00 PM
Like many other well-known organizations, we face cyber attacks of varying degrees on a regular basis. In mid-December, we detected a highly sophisticated and targeted attack on our corporate infrastructure originating from China that resulted in the theft of intellectual property from Google. However, it soon became clear that what at first appeared to be solely a security incident--albeit a significant one--was something quite different.

First, this attack was not just on Google. As part of our investigation we have discovered that at least twenty other large companies from a wide range of businesses--including the Internet, finance, technology, media and chemical sectors--have been similarly targeted. We are currently in the process of notifying those companies, and we are also working with the relevant U.S. authorities.

Second, we have evidence to suggest that a primary goal of the attackers was accessing the Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists. Based on our investigation to date we believe their attack did not achieve that objective. Only two Gmail accounts appear to have been accessed, and that activity was limited to account information (such as the date the account was created) and subject line, rather than the content of emails themselves.

Third, as part of this investigation but independent of the attack on Google, we have discovered that the accounts of dozens of U.S.-, China- and Europe-based Gmail users who are advocates of human rights in China appear to have been routinely accessed by third parties. These accounts have not been accessed through any security breach at Google, but most likely via phishing scams or malware placed on the users' computers.

We have already used information gained from this attack to make infrastructure and architectural improvements that enhance security for Google and for our users. In terms of individual users, we would advise people to deploy reputable anti-virus and anti-spyware programs on their computers, to install patches for their operating systems and to update their web browsers. Always be cautious when clicking on links appearing in instant messages and emails, or when asked to share personal information like passwords online. You can read more here about our cyber-security recommendations. People wanting to learn more about these kinds of attacks can read this U.S. government report (PDF), Nart Villeneuve's blog and this presentation on the GhostNet spying incident.

We have taken the unusual step of sharing information about these attacks with a broad audience not just because of the security and human rights implications of what we have unearthed, but also because this information goes to the heart of a much bigger global debate about freedom of speech. In the last two decades, China's economic reform programs and its citizens' entrepreneurial flair have lifted hundreds of millions of Chinese people out of poverty. Indeed, this great nation is at the heart of much economic progress and development in the world today.

We launched Google.cn in January 2006 in the belief that the benefits of increased access to information for people in China and a more open Internet outweighed our discomfort in agreeing to censor some results. At the time we made clear that "we will carefully monitor conditions in China, including new laws and other restrictions on our services. If we determine that we are unable to achieve the objectives outlined we will not hesitate to reconsider our approach to China."

These attacks and the surveillance they have uncovered--combined with the attempts over the past year to further limit free speech on the web--have led us to conclude that we should review the feasibility of our business operations in China. We have decided we are no longer willing to continue censoring our results on Google.cn, and so over the next few weeks we will be discussing with the Chinese government the basis on which we could operate an unfiltered search engine within the law, if at all. We recognize that this may well mean having to shut down Google.cn, and potentially our offices in China.

The decision to review our business operations in China has been incredibly hard, and we know that it will have potentially far-reaching consequences. We want to make clear that this move was driven by our executives in the United States, without the knowledge or involvement of our employees in China who have worked incredibly hard to make Google.cn the success it is today. We are committed to working responsibly to resolve the very difficult issues raised.

Posted by David Drummond, SVP, Corporate Development and Chief Legal Officer

not that i'm shocked, but it's still sad to see this

It's sad that Google China would shut down over hackers. Seriously? The group that oversees all of the Internet by way of IP licensing has more power than China does. China could go completely offline in a blink of an eye if the right combination of countries willed it to be so. I think Google ought to take it up with ICANN considering the recent bullshit China, Russia and Iran has been giving the organization over their perceived country "ownership" of such licenses.

Then again, most governments use this same sort of surveillance all the time without anyone reporting it anyways, so what difference does it make if Chinese hackers do it?

Because the Chinese hackers are teh Chinese government, that's why. Who elese would want to hack the gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists?

It could be anybody and not necessarily a Chinese government sanctioned group. When kids learn computers, they get curious. Penetrating a locked system is seen as quite an accomplishment (not to mention profitable) and so I believe, like a lot of people in the field believe, that it's not necessarily the Chinese government. Although, it is really easy to blame the Chinese government all things considered, especially if the Chinese govt. is taking advantage of this criminal activity.


http://dsc.discovery.com/technology/my- ... china.html

A better idea than Google leaving China would be for Google to push the Chinese government to prosecute these cyber crimes.

http://market-ticker.denninger.net/archives/1849-Google,-China-and-Reality.html



Not something "some kid" would be interested in.

There are reasons DISA has banned the DOD from using Chinese made routers on classified systems. That Discovery article falls for one the oldest tricks in the game. The CIA has used it for years, all over the globe. "Oh, that's not us! Those are... freedom fighters in Afghanistan! Uh, I meant... Protesters in Venezuela!"

those chinese hackers are busy going through an exorbitantly large amount of junk mail right now.

Like I said, the Chinese government should be pressured to prosecute these crimes. Will they be pressured? It's doubtful. Why? Because every government hacks. If the human rights activist are having their emails hacked, they obviously can't use email in that country to discuss their activism. That's unfortunate and there's not much we can do about it save complaining to the International community, the UN, ICANN, etc. But considering China's strength it's not hard to figure out why western governments are turning a blind eye.

The Chinese, the Russians, and the Iranians are here to stay and hopefully the cyber warfare simply stays in cyberspace.


It's a conundrum, for certain. The best possible solution is to dump a lot of money into Network Security programs, and devise ways to protect our data like it's never been protected before. Google is in there, and they should stay. Why? Because every government hacks. Just sayin.

We should spam the eff out of China. Bomb them with Viagra emails and letters from Nigerians that need places to transfer their assets out of the country.

It doesn't require dumping money into network security programs. It would be a piece of cake to block China out of the internet altogether. The U.S. could force all Chinese IP addresses to be blocked with little cost to anybody. The only reason it hasn't happened yet is because the government doesn't want to offend China. It's not logistical, it's political.

You can accept them and say they're here to stay, but I don't think that's a very good attitude to have when you're talking about human rights violations. Being overly strict with our own environmental, human rights, and other ethical regulations while turning a blind eye to theirs is not a good policy, and only gives them even more power (and rendering our own efforts moot). Better to cut them off sooner than later.

guys, px obviously works for China and is defending them.

Sounds a lot like the everyone illegally downloads argument.

I'm a realist. It's not smart business to take bold steps like cutting China off and then cry about it when they retaliate.
Especially when this sort of hacking is considered a valuable tool used for "national security."



With little cost to the average Chinaman that has started growing his business online and prospering due to the opening of a market for him and his family and his employees?


In case you haven't thought this scenario through yet, by cutting them off we fall right into the trap they've set up for us. China's (along with Russia & Iran) complaint is that the US has monopolized the top level IP addresses and the whole world is at our mercy. To cut them off would be fun, but politically expensive.

And yes, this whole thing is political. You just have to accept that.

http://www.globalnewsblog.com/wp/2009/0 ... -exercise/

Long range military exercises. ^

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/ar ... fp7pUCZEDw




You can still admonish China's human rights record, but you also have to know how and when to pick your battles.

Since you seem so intrigued by 4chan, you should get familiar with the Chinese version of it.

"Honker Union"

LMAO @ Honker Union

I'm not really into these hacking scenes. I don't really think 4chan is exactly one either, sure they have their harpoon squad, but it is mostly young white males that have a fetish for dog-people creatures getting fucked up the ass.

There's this thing called national security, and I think it supercedes the right of individual Chinamen to make money on the internet (as dubious a proposition that may be). I don't think there would be any political expense whatsoever in cutting off a government that has been harboring (and possibly even participating with) hackers. Security is a major concern on the internet, and I don't think any country that is interested in security would do anything but applaud such an action. No, the only countries it will piss off are those who are interested in hacking, and screw them.

The only leverage China has here is economic, and truckling will only make it worse. We're only letting this happen so we can have our bootleg DVDs, $2 t-shirts, and cheap Chinese crap. It has nothing to do with complaints about the US monopolizing top level IP addresses.

The Chinaman is not the issue here Dude.

I'm curious about how you measure importance when it comes to human rights then. In one hand the chinese activist is hacked and you cry foul (like we all do), so cutting off China is the only obvious solution. But yet the chinese businessman has no recourse, and that's just too damn bad for him, when his market shrinks almost instantly.

Human rights are important, I totally agree. But shutting China off isn't going to make the problem go away. It will make it bigge because we're no better if and all of our efforts are moot (like you say) if we play that game. Besides, it's not going to be long before China has it's own root up and running anyways.

China cannot be contained at this point, that is a FACT we all have to learn to accept. The only thing we can do is counter leverage and consistently shake our finger at them and say "bad China, you need to do better."