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China claims US started global 'Internet war' after Google attack

Summary: This Gmail hacking scandal is continuing to blow up. China has not only refuted claims that it was responsible for the incident but now accuses the United States of starting a global "Internet war."

Rachel King

By for Between the Lines |

This Gmail hacking scandal is continuing to blow up. China has not only refuted claims that it was responsible for the incident but now accuses the United States of starting a global "Internet war."

On Wednesday, Google announced on its blog that hundreds of Gmail accounts, including those belonging to government officials in the U.S., South Korea and elsewhere, were hacked by an assault stemming from Jinan, China. However, no official government emails were compromised, and everyone affected by the attack has already been notified.

Neither Google nor the United States have accused the Chinese government of involvement, but both the White House and the Pentagon have investigated the matter. Additionally, the U.S. has asked China to help investigate the attack as well.

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like there is going to be any teamwork on this issue. Yesterday, Chinese officials denounced swirling rumors that the Chinese government was associated in any way with the hacking, and now they're going a step further.

According to the Associated Press:

Writing in the Communist Party-controlled China Youth Daily newspaper, the scholars did not mention Google's claims, but said recent computer attacks and incidents employing the Internet to promote regime change in Arab nations appeared to have originated with the U.S. government.

"Of late, an Internet tornado has swept across the world ... massively impacting and shocking the globe. Behind all this lies the shadow of America," said the article, signed by Ye Zheng and Zhao Baoxian, identified as scholars with the Academy of Military Sciences.

"Faced with this warmup for an Internet war, every nation and military can't be passive but is making preparations to fight the Internet war," it said.

That will certainly bring a new meaning to the phrase, "The Great Firewall of China."

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Topics: Google, Browser, Security, China

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45 comments
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  • I'm sure that Hollywood Dog guy will agree with China here

    that only the U.S. does these bad thing, China is a fair and upstanding citizen of the world, they woul [b]never[/b] do anything like what they are being blamed for, it's just another sneaky bad thing that the U.S. really did.
    Will Pharaoh
    Reply Vote

    • My forture cookie had a password for a "Chairman Mao"!

      @Will Pharaoh
      No wonder it tasted stale!
      kd5auq
      Reply Vote

      • LOL!

        @kd5auq

        :)
        Will Pharaoh
        Reply Vote

    • RE: China claims US started global 'Internet war' after Google attack

      @Will Pharaoh

      An unfair characterisation of Hollywood Dog's political views. I tend to agree with a lot of his political views.

      We all know China is responsible for the attempted hack. We all know that they make dozens of attacks on western government networks daily. I just wonder whether we're hitting back.
      intman
      Reply Vote

      • Not an unfair characterisation, in my opinion

        @intman <br>political views are one thing, paranoia something else. But enough with that.

        As for "are we hitting back", we are from what I have read, my understanding is that the U.S. has the most sophisticated and comprehensive cyber-warfare unit in the world.<br><br>Though it's not something you talk about alot, as I doubt places like China talk about their systems being hacked much either.
        Will Pharaoh
        Reply Vote

      • RE: China claims US started global 'Internet war' after Google attack

        @intman The good news: Yes we are.
        The bad news: Thanks to Americans' poor knowledge of geography (10% of high school seniors can't identify the United States of America on an unlabeled world map) we've been pounding that evil "Chinese" company Sony into submission. :-)
        jgm@...
        Reply Vote

    • RE: China claims US started global 'Internet war' after Google attack

      i believe China's claim. given the u.s's dodgy track record, it seems like the u.s. is usually behind most of the trouble making. i guess this is what the cia black budget is for.
      ALISON SMOCK
      Reply Vote

      • RE: China claims US started global 'Internet war' after Google attack

        @ALISON SMOCK I bet I know where "Alison's" IP address traces back to!
        jgm@...
        Reply Vote

      • Given China's record

        @ALISON SMOCK
        It is obvious to all that their claim is yet another fabricated story, one which like many of there other claims, should be viewed as unfactual, and self serving.
        :|
        Tim Cook
        Reply Vote

      • RE: China claims US started global 'Internet war' after Google attack

        @ALISON SMOCK You're a delusional fool then.
        JoeHTH
        Reply Vote

      • RE: China claims US started global 'Internet war' after Google attack

        @ALISON SMOCK Oh Great another one...well despite your inaccurate view, if you are in the US no one is keeping you hear China would love to have you.
        ItsTheBottomLine
        Reply Vote

    • RE: China claims US started global 'Internet war' after Google attack

      @Will Pharaoh - agreed, compare http://www.npr.org/2011/06/06/136889301/chinas-rise-a-quest-to-hug-the-world to their economic actions involving lead, melamine, methotrexate, rotting drywall, and scores of other issues (never mind their own internal problems of frequent suicides because of inhumane, inhuman conditions imposed on the workers that have built up this wealth but continue to not get anything back except the desire to off themselves) and they are NOT a part of the so-called "global community".
      HypnoToad72
      Reply Vote

  • RE: China claims US started global 'Internet war' after Google attack

    LOL looks like everyone wants to join the party so they can waste their time and money
    XX41
    Reply Vote

  • may be SEAL team 6

    needs to pay a visit to the communist 'scholars' that blame America.
    Linux Geek
    Reply Vote

    • RE: China claims US started global 'Internet war' after Google attack

      @Linux Geek I think a couple thousands ICBMs would be more suited.
      Tommy S.
      Reply Vote

    • RE: China claims US started global 'Internet war' after Google attack

      @Linux Geek No, Linux Geek, this is CYBER warfare. We need to send in SUSE Team 6!! :-)
      jgm@...
      Reply Vote

      • RE: China claims US started global 'Internet war' after Google attack

        @jgm@...

        Don't you mean Redhat Team 6. ;)
        osreinstall
        Reply Vote

      • RE: China claims US started global 'Internet war' after Google attack

        @jgm@... Now, now, they already have their own "approved" Linux version. A few well placed security patch updates ought to do the trick, right on the CentOS update sites.
        briank@...
        Reply Vote

    • RE: China claims US started global 'Internet war' after Google attack

      @Linux Geek

      I think you've already done enough damage by promoting Linux to the Chinese.

      As to the rest, try binging the concept of projection in psychology rather than suggest the US employ death squads for every "problem".
      tonymcs@...
      Reply Vote

      • RE: China claims US started global 'Internet war' after Google attack

        @tonymcs@...
        the best projection is a bullet in their coward eye and a cruise missle in their data center.
        Linux Geek
        Reply Vote
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