On March 8th, 2012, Siobhan Gorman reported for the Wall Street Journal on a new report that says China would use a cyberattack against the US in the event of a conflict.  That report, released by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, was written by Northrop Grumman (a defense firm). 

According to the WSJ article, the report found that the US telecommunications supply chain is vulnerable to Chinese cyber-attack; such an attack could lead to "'catastrophic failure' of U.S. critical infrastructure."  Moreover, China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) is concentrating on developing cyberwarfare doctrine that features "information confrontation" of adversaries in tandem with traditional military methods.  Interestingly, the article notes that the PLA regularly incorporates both offensive and defensive cyber techniques into its military exercises.

The article goes on to explain that the commission found a strong relationship between the Chinese government and Chinese private universities.  These universities receive government funding to research cyberattack capabilities.

Finally, the WSJ article mentioned that, according to the report, the Chinese would seek to exploit cyber-surveillance exploits "already hidden in U.S. military-communications systems" in the event of a conflict. 

The report's timing is rather conspicuous; apparently the commission released the report in order to prod the Senate to reach a compromise on cybersecurity legislation.

You can find the Wall Street Journal article here.

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On March 8th, Gopal Ratnam reported for Bloomberg on the same US-China commission report.  The Bloomberg article explored a few pieces of the report that the WSJ article didn't.

Specifically, the Bloomberg article explained that the aforementioned conflict would probably involve Taiwan.  The report noted that the PLA would probably target US Pacific Command and Transportation Command with cyberattacks in order to sow confusion amongst the US command structure.  Then, the Chinese would target US defense contractors with the ultimate goal being to "prevent the U.S. from coming to Taiwan's aid."

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It looks like the push for cybersecurity legislation is really on.

On March 7th, Reuters reported that top US security officials guided a number of Senators "through a simulated cyber attack that damages New York City's electrical grid during a heat wave."  The scenario was designed to emphasize to the Senators just how important cybersecurity legislation is.

On March 8th, 2012, Siobhan Gorman reported for the Wall Street Journal on a new report that says China would use a cyberattack against the US in the event of a conflict.  That report, released by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, was written by Northrop Grumman (a defense firm). 

According to the WSJ article, the report found that the US telecommunications supply chain is vulnerable to Chinese cyber-attack; such an attack could lead to "'catastrophic failure' of U.S. critical infrastructure."  Moreover, China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) is concentrating on developing cyberwarfare doctrine that features "information confrontation" of adversaries in tandem with traditional military methods.  Interestingly, the article notes that the PLA regularly incorporates both offensive and defensive cyber techniques into its military exercises.

The article goes on to explain that the commission found a strong relationship between the Chinese government and Chinese private universities.  These universities receive government funding to research cyberattack capabilities.

Finally, the WSJ article mentioned that, according to the report, the Chinese would seek to exploit cyber-surveillance exploits "already hidden in U.S. military-communications systems" in the event of a conflict. 

The report's timing is rather conspicuous; apparently the commission released the report in order to prod the Senate to reach a compromise on cybersecurity legislation.

You can find the Wall Street Journal article here.

***

On March 8th, Gopal Ratnam reported for Bloomberg on the same US-China commission report.  The Bloomberg article explored a few pieces of the report that the WSJ article didn't.

Specifically, the Bloomberg article explained that the aforementioned conflict would probably involve Taiwan.  The report noted that the PLA would probably target US Pacific Command and Transportation Command with cyberattacks in order to sow confusion amongst the US command structure.  Then, the Chinese would target US defense contractors with the ultimate goal being to "prevent the U.S. from coming to Taiwan's aid."

***

It looks like the push for cybersecurity legislation is really on.

On March 7th, Reuters reported that top US security officials guided a number of Senators "through a simulated cyber attack that damages New York City's electrical grid during a heat wave."  The scenario was designed to emphasize to the Senators just how important cybersecurity legislation is.