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PRC Targeting of Commercial Telecommunications Infrastructure

(www.fbi.gov)
286 points 2OEH8eoCRo0 | 6 comments | 14 Nov 24 00:59 UTC | HN request time: 0.701s | source | bottom
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clwg ◴[14 Nov 24 02:45 UTC] No.42132630[source]▶
I was working with MISP[0], an open-source threat intelligence sharing platform, and came across a really interesting dataset from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute on China's technology research institutions[1]. I liked the data so much I built a quick cross-filter visualization on top of it to help explore it[2].

The data offers a fairly comprehensive and interesting perspective on China's research priorities and organization, I can't speak to the effectiveness of the programs themselves, but it does make me concerned that we are falling far behind in many areas, including cyber security.

[0] https://www.misp-project.org/

[1] https://raw.githubusercontent.com/MISP/misp-galaxy/refs/head...

[2] https://www.layer8.org/8541dd18-ff05-4720-aac7-1bd59d3921dd/

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acheong08 ◴[14 Nov 24 03:17 UTC] No.42132801[source]▶
> we are falling far behind in many areas, including cyber security

In terms of quantity and quality of talent, I don't think the western world would fall behind China, especially with their strict control of information. Most people there will have difficulty independently learning about cybersecurity.

The difference is that most talent is captured by the private sector with higher compensation or bounties. Meanwhile, China can very easily compel anyone they need into the government so the % utilization on outward attacks is probably higher.

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1. woctordho ◴[14 Nov 24 03:55 UTC] No.42133034[source]▶
Every ordinary Chinese needs to self-learn some cybersecurity to do daily things, like to watch YouTube, or to send messages to others without worrying being censored
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2. viraptor ◴[14 Nov 24 04:26 UTC] No.42133162[source]▶
There's a big difference between using tools intended for general population and being skilled enough in offensive security to make a difference. It may incentivise some people to learn further, but I don't think the effect would be that large. It's kind of like everyone at Uni knowing about P2P a few years ago - but they knew nothing about protocol design.
3. throwaway290 ◴[14 Nov 24 04:59 UTC] No.42133283[source]▶
The ordinary people have their douyin/bilibili and fear of the party so they don't need to learn those things
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4. roenxi ◴[14 Nov 24 05:19 UTC] No.42133335[source]▶
Why would ordinary Chinese people fear the party? The party has been overseeing the greatest expansion of wealth in human history combined with a massive internal propaganda effort which I would assume is pitching them as the good guys and downplays all the brutal stuff they've done

If anything I'd expect ordinary people to be far too trusting that the authorities are reasonable and friendly. They must have real problems with earnest, motivated and well meaning people wandering off the approved parts of the internet into censored topics and getting confused by whatever happens next.

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5. throwaway290 ◴[14 Nov 24 05:29 UTC] No.42133380{3}[source]▶
Fear getting disappeared/jailed for doing something forbidden. You're right that they may not see it as "fear of the party" from inside. More like "why would I do something illegal". But in a system like that those things are actually equivalent.
6. tivert ◴[14 Nov 24 07:14 UTC] No.42133801{3}[source]▶
You're forgetting all the corruption and hypocrisy in China. Do you think the individuals that make up the authorities act in a "reasonable and friendly" towards regular people who interact with them? The contradictions seen by anyone who's paying attention undermine the trust you posit and some fraction of the propaganda messages.

It kinda feels like you understand China as a thought experiment and not a real place.