China comes clean, admits it has multiple cyber warfare divisions

[Shawn Knight]

Security experts have long suspected China of being behind several high-profile cyber attacks, many of which went after targets in the US. Up to this point, however, the country has vehemently denied being behind such attacks or even having the capability to carry them out.

In a rare update of an influential publication known as The Science of Military Strategy prepared by the People’s Liberation Army, China has finally admitted that it does have cyber warfare divisions – several of them, in fact.

Center for Intelligence Research and Analyst staffer Joe McReynolds notes that this document is produced “once in a generation” so when it comes out, researchers pay attention. The last issue was published in 1999 which tells you just how infrequently it’s put out. This new issue went live in December 2013 but it’s taken a while to trickle down to Western nations.

McReynolds said China has three types of cyber warfare teams. The first is described as a specialized military network force that handles both attacks and defense. Another group is spread out among civilian organizations (like China’s equivalent to the CIA and FBI) that are authorized to carry out operations on behalf of the military.

Last but not least are the external entities. These hackers don’t work within the government or the military but can be called upon if needed. Think of them as hackers-for-hire. When asked by The Daily Beast which group is responsible for attacking American targets, McReynolds said all of them do it.

On one hand, an official admission adds a bit of validity to past accusations. At the same time, however, it could plant a seed of doubt in the minds of other countries when doing business with China. 

Image via Reuters

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https://www.techspot.com/news/60098-china-admits-cyber-warfare.html

 

[stewi0001]

One thing that just popped in my head, if a hacker (who is not involved with their government or military) nation goes to war with another, do you think they would try to hack the opposing nation?

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

One thing that just popped in my head, if a hacker (who is not involved with their government or military) nation goes to war with another, do you think they would try to hack the opposing nation?

You've heard of double agents haven't you? What makes hackers any different? They're only loyal to the side that pays them the most.
Whatever happened to the days when you marched into another man's country, kicked his butt because you didn't like the way he combed his hair then looted, pillaged and took it over? They kept things plain and simple those days.

 

[stewi0001]

You've heard of double agents haven't you? What makes hackers any different? They're only loyal to the side that pays them the most.
Whatever happened to the days when you marched into another man's country, kicked his butt because you didn't like the way he combed his hair then looted, pillaged and took it over? They kept things plain and simple those days.[/QUOTE]

Makes sense, no one is really loyal to their country anymore. Mainly because the people running it are *****s and/or jerks.

 

[JakeT]

Anyone surprised here?

Here's a scoop; North Korea does it too, and every other nation who has the interests and resources to do it.

 

[Guest]

"One thing that just popped in my head, if a hacker (who is not involved with their government or military) nation goes to war with another, do you think they would try to hack the opposing nation?"

That's probably the point. To keep their hands clean. China isn't the only nation who dumps resources just into hacking. Let's take the U.S. for example. China decides to hack into the state department in the U.S. or some other government entity. China knows they aren't the only nation doing this so to HELP keep themselves from being an even bigger target by the U.S., they hire an external hacker for anonymity. Since there really are other nations (and private hacking groups) targeting the U.S., it makes it much harder for the U.S. to point fingers at China SPECIFICALLY.

What makes it even harder to discern if it's China doing the hacking is that China isn't the only cyber aware entity hiring external hackers. Even less developed nations have the ability to hire an external hacker for some specific cyber job so that they don't have to spend loads of money that they won't have to set up their own cyber division.

Basically, the more hackers for hire the harder it is to point fingers at the people who hire them. And China knows this.

 

[captaincranky]

This is just a glorious revelation. I'm hoping from here on out, we won't have to listen to bunch of pseudo intellectual juvenile delinquents whine about how the US government is the only one in the world keeping tabs on everybody.

 

[davislane1]

This is just a glorious revelation. I'm hoping from here on out, we won't have to listen to bunch of pseudo intellectual juvenile delinquents whine about how the US government is the only one in the world keeping tabs on everybody.

INB4 pseudo intellectual juvenile delinquent cites Alex Jones piece claiming China story fabrication to distract from secret US wiretapping of meteorologists in the Pacific to get a lead on the weather and induce California drought in effort to wipe out civilian crops and pave way for FEMA control of the American food supply.

 

[Guest]

"This is just a glorious revelation. I'm hoping from here on out, we won't have to listen to bunch of pseudo intellectual juvenile delinquents whine about how the US government is the only one in the world keeping tabs on everybody."

lol they're just jealous that the U.S. does it so much better.