US worried by China's cyber war capability

 

Gallery

By Stewart Mitchell

Posted on 17 Aug 2010 at 09:40

China's cyber warfare capability is an increasing threat to local and global adversaries, according to a nervous-sounding report by the US Department of Defense.

In a report to Congress, Military and security developments involving the People's Republic of China, the department warned that China was developing the capability to mount serious battlefield and long-range attacks on information systems.

“China’s investments in advanced electronic warfare systems, counter-space weapons, and computer network operation reflect the emphasis and priority China’s leaders place on building capability for information advantage,” the report said.

China's offensive electronic weapons focus on two theatres, the battlefield and the information networks of potential enemies, whether that is spying to collect secret documents or the ability to damage network operations.

“Computer systems around the world, including those owned by the US government, continued to be the target of intrusions that appear to have originated within China,” the report said.

“These intrusions focused on exfiltrating information, some of which could be of strategic or military utility. The accesses and skills required for these intrusions are similar to those necessary to conduct computer network attacks.

"It remains unclear if these intrusions were conducted by, or with the endorsement of [China], but developing capabilities for cyber warfare is consistent with authoritative People's Liberation Army (PLA) military writings.”

As an example, the report cites an electronic spy network uncovered last year that was apparently based in China and had infiltrated more than 1,300 governmental computers in 103 countries.

In the battlefield, the concept of cyber warfare has long been part of China's defence strategy, with PLA theorists using the term “integrated network electronic warfare” to describe network operations, and kinetic strikes to disrupt battlefield information systems of its enemies.

“China is also developing electronic and information warfare capabilities, including denial and deception, to defeat those of its adversaries,” the report warned.

“[China sees] integrated network electronic warfare as one of the basic forms of integrated joint operations, suggesting the centrality of seizing and dominating the electromagnetic spectrum in its campaign theory.”