Chinese military hacked into Pentagon

AMERICAN OFFICIALS have claimed that the Chinese military hacked into a Pentagon computer network in June.

Apparently the Chinese managed to shut down part of a computer system serving the office of defence secretary Robert Gates. This would have prevented him from playing solitaire and could have lead to the collapse of the West as we know it.

According to the Financial Times, an internal investigation has revealed that the incursion came from the People's Liberation Army. It seems to have penetrated? the? networks ?of US defence contractors and think-tanks. Since these are currently thinking about telling George to invade Iran this could be a bit annoying.

It is the second attack on a Western power by the Chinese. Angela Merkel, Germany's chancellor, claimed German government computers were turned over recently and had words with Wen Jiabao, China's premier, in her visit to Beijing.

He said that his Government was against hacking and had special laws to prevent it. So that is OK then.

We expect George W.?Bush, who is expected to meet Hu Jintao, China's president, on Thursday and might mention the US attacks to him.

To be fair to the Chinese, the Pentagon is probing its networks too. However this attack showed how the PLA can conduct attacks that disable the US system.

It should be pointed out that if the Chinese ever wanted to go to war with the US, it would only have to shut down the US's main production operation. Since these are currently in China, no one would have to shoot anyone.

More here. µ