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Comment by miguelpais | Hacker News Reader

Don't you just think these news about hacks from China are getting way to frequent?

The attack on Google was said to be a way to get access to the accounts of free rights activists, but they also attacked several other US companies. The reason must be to steal the companies' know how.

Would you be surprised if a few years from now a Chinese Google was announced and similar and maybe better products in other industries?

And I think these actions are all supported by the Chinese goverment which knows getting chinese competitors in some key fields is the only way of exponentially develop its economy.

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According to Bruce Schneier, the Google attacks were using the CALEA intercept points which are mandated by US law. There is no possible way that Google could shut down those access points without violating US law.

> In order to comply with government search warrants on user data, Google created a backdoor access system into Gmail accounts. This feature is what the Chinese hackers exploited to gain access.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/01/23/schneier.google.hackin...

You'll note that he provided no support for that claim; he just said it in an authoritative tone.

For some reason I'm strangely reminded of the episode of Big Bang Theory where Sheldon talks on NPR whilst having helium pumped into his room. That would be an authoritative Schneier.

I doubt if this is a new development at all.

There is a big difference between stuff happening and having the media spotlight on it, that usually gives an impression of something being suddenly much larger.

Exactly. 7-8 years ago, these same types of stories were going around about France being the evil hacker country, and that in most hotels catering to business travellers, there were pinhole cameras above the desks that would monitor and record businessmen typing passwords, so the evil maid spies could then unlock the laptops when the travellers were away.

Back then our media was also slamming France for being "cheese eating surrender monkeys" and renaming "french fries" into "freedom fries" because they would not support our activities in Iraq. And now we're slamming China because China isn't supporting our activities in Iran.

Don't you just think these news about hacks from China are getting way to frequent?

Perhaps it is just being noticed more now, and publicized by the press.

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