Should businesspeople and other travelers heading to Beijing for the Olympics be warned about dangers posed by Chinese computer hackers?
That’s what’s worrying US government officials and security consultants, says the Wall Street Journal.
US intelligence agencies fear the potential threat to US laptops and cellphones, “But others, including the State and Commerce departments and some companies, are trying to quiet the issue for fear of offending the Chinese, these people say,” says the story, going on:
“Barack Obama became the first major presidential candidate to propose new cybersecurity policies Wednesday when he unveiled his cybersecurity strategy, which includes combating corporate espionage, shielding the country’s Internet infrastructure and establishing a national cybersecurity adviser.”
The Department of Homeland Security, “issued a warning last month to certain government and private-sector officials stating that business and government travelers’ electronic devices are often targeted by foreign governments,” says the WSJ.
But, “The warning wasn’t available to the public.”
Spy tactics include copying information contained in laptop computers at airport checkpoints or hotel rooms, wirelessly inserting spyware on BlackBerry devices, and “slurping,” using Bluetooth technology to steal data from electronic devices.
Adds the story:
“In addition to cybersecurity threats in other countries, ’so many people are going to the Olympics and are going to get electronically undressed,’ said Joel Brenner, the government’s top counterintelligence officer. He tells of one computer-security expert who powered up a new Treo hand-held computer when his plane landed in China. By the time he got to his hotel, a handful of software programs had been wirelessly inserted.”
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Read more from the original source:
Beijing Olympics ?cyberspy? fears
