The world has grown wearily accustomed to the concept of cyberspace being mankind’s newest battleground. So while the Japanese defence establishment was understandably unsettled by the recent cyber attacks against arms company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI)—which first occurred in August but were only disclosed this week—the phenomenon will have struck governments and corporations that have experienced similar attacks as nothing particularly new.
The specifics of the attack on MHI and other Japanese entities remain unclear. While the Japanese media has attempted to trace the attack back to China—the usual suspect in these cases—its origin has not been publicly confirmed. Certainly, Beijing denied that it was involved, as it always does, despite admitting earlier this year to the existence of a PLA cyber warfare unit known as the Blue Army.
What was remarkable about this cyber attack was its suspected connection to the Mukden Incident of 1931, a black day in Chinese history that set Japan’s invasion of Manchuria in train. The run-up to the 80th anniversary of the incident on September 18—the Chinese know it as the 9/18 Incident—was marked by online calls from Chinese netizens for cyber attacks to be launched in revenge against Japanese targets, according to the local authorities.
Cyber attacks originating in China are usually regarded as attempts to steal information and technological data, and the breaching of MHI’s servers arguably suggests that the latest episode fits into that pattern (the firm builds Japan’s submarines and F-15s, among other systems). However, it’s becoming increasingly apparent that cyber warfare presents all kinds of new opportunities to countries or individuals with an axe to grind.
If the cyber attack is to become an outlet for Chinese nationalism, and not just a means of scooping data out of foreign computer networks, then those countries that have wronged China over the last couple of centuries are now on notice. There are many other dark moments in Chinese history that the hackers, either official or unofficial, might take it upon themselves to commemorate by way of revenge cyber strikes; in China, these anniversaries sadly come thick and fast.
The point is that cyber capabilities provide governments and individuals with the means to strike first, without earning the same condemnation—and more importantly the inevitable armed response—that a first strike involving conventional weapons would earn. Russia’s cyber attacks against Estonia in 2007, conducted in retaliation for an Estonian decision to relocate a Soviet war memorial, set the precedent; what many Estonians regarded as an act of war didn’t appear, somehow, to fit the standard definition.
So, whether the attacks come in order to extract sensitive data or as a salvo in war that, for practical reasons, has to be limited to cyberspace, it’s clear that the 21st-century state is far more likely to be targeted by electronic viruses and ‘phishing spears’ than it is by bombs and bullets. Many are still learning how to respond to the threat. It appears that MHI attempted to hush up the cyber attacks, which were initiated weeks before it notified the government, as if being targeted by hackers were something to be embarrassed about. But if a foreign air force had bombed MHI’s factories, it seems unlikely that the company would have felt similarly ashamed.
While the defenders are still learning how to protect themselves against cyber attacks, and how to deal with the fallout when they happen, the attackers are technologically several steps ahead. And they seem to be finding more motives to do what they do. To espionage, theft, and terrorism is now added revenge.
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mareo2
In my humble opinion, there is big difference between just allowing popular Hackactvism in a repressive country that is propaganda or vandalism aiming to embarrass the target in public, like denying access to sites or other forms of cyber protests or revenge sometimes with people or groups boldly claiming to be the authors of the attacks and the very likely governmental act of espionage aiming to steal sensitive national security data from other countries. The first can be expected and tolerated, the second cannot.
yang zi
@mareo2, my humble opinion is different. I think the first one is annoying and counter productive, should be stopped. the second one is just a new tool of espionage, which is the oldest profession (may be second after prostitution?).
I am sure China’s secrets are constantly probed by cyber spies from US and others, but China doesn’t want to cry about it.
On the Japanese case, who knows, a Chinese spy wouldn’t put simplified Chinese in the virus. then on the other hand, there are plenty of virus in China, some may contaminated Japanese computer, not a spy act at all. anyway, I didn’t read the article, not interested.
mareo2
@yang zi, with all due respect to you sir, I somewhat disagree with your opinions, please allow me to elaborate a little bit on what:
1 – “…I think the first one is annoying and counter productive, should be stopped…”
I agree that it is annoying and counter-productive, but I “may” disagree on the “should be stopped”:
a) If you mean something like realize that it looks like teenager immature behavior and the people doing it should stop it and try more serious and productive means of express their opinions, then I fully agree with you from the bottom of my heart.
b) If you mean that the chinese government “should stop them” then I disagree, because I think that unless damage to property or profit is done, even if I am japanese and perhaps they just hate me for that, I defend the right of chinese individuals or groups to express their beliefs inside acceptable limits of tolerance for open societies standards. My only concern is that it seems to me that the CCP have a double standard of fastly punish activism aiming to democracy in China but turning a blind eye to nationalism.
2 – “…the second one is just a new tool of espionage, which is the oldest profession (may be second after prostitution?)…”
I think that prostitution hardly can be so destabilising for regional peace by giving the upper hand in a potential war, like spies, saboteurs and assassins. In my personal opinion threatening national security of a country is not comparable to a minor social crime as you seems to believe, after all for long time spying as being punished with death in many cultures.
3 – “…I am sure China’s secrets are constantly probed by cyber spies from US and others, but China doesn’t want to cry about it…”
Not Japan’s doing. But if you think that what other nuclear armed countries like the US or the Russian Federation or India can or cannot be spying on the PRC’s national security secrets make Japan a “fair target” for espionage, then with that logic can I make the assumption that you cannot feel outraged if the japanese government start to expend resources in spying the PRC’s national security secrets and take it without nationalist paranoia as undeniable evidence that Japan is planning to invade China?
3 – “…On the Japanese case, who knows, a Chinese spy wouldn’t put simplified Chinese in the virus. then on the other hand, there are plenty of virus in China, some may contaminated Japanese computer, not a spy act at all…”
By coincidence they accidentally infected only the computers of a network build to be safer for a big company working with sensitive national security data like Mitsubishi Heavy Industries? Forgive me sir, but that sounds a little bit unlikely and I think that even a 11 years old kid can think that such coincidence is unlikely.
4 – “… anyway, I didn’t read the article, not interested…”
Excuse me sir, but you are not interested enough for read a single page short article of just 608 words (headline included). But you are enough interested for respond the short comments of other people without having properly reading the article? It hurt the credibility of your comments, but I feel tempted to considerate that perhaps many chinese internet readers may be somewhat limited in their understanding of the opinions of non-Chinese when dealing with news and comments in foreigners languages due to the modern cultural fact they often only read microblogging of 163 chinese characters. Chinese characters are wonderful for transmit information in small packages but it may be making the language barrier even bigger and the chinese internet readers may look to others like if they are people who hardly can read something long a deep like a book. I hope that someday online translators can somewhat fix that.
I am not english native speaker (like I said I am japanese), so I only can hope that the way I write what I think don’t’ offend any chinese, if I did it, then my apology.
P.S: I’m sorry if it look like is too long to read for chinese internet readers (680 words more than the original article). I can understand if any chinese think that it is too long. But if anyone cannot find it interesting enough for read it all properly to begin with, then please just dont bother to answer.
yang zi
@mareo2, I did read all of your comments. I think you are too serious and naive. but if Japan has no spy in China, I will have to say China is wrong if it spying Japan. as for reading, I just know what kind of article this author would write, I’d rather read comments, i basically can guess what he says.
I’ve been in Japan twice and I absolutely love it. also, I don’t think this Japanese company only do military stuff.
On cyber attacks, I have some experience in this field,(not attacking but defending), my feeling is it is very easily defended. cyber attacks are overblown, internet is as safe as highway, as long as you follow rules, you are safe. so this japanese company has itself to blame. this is another reason I didn’t read the article, it is just too armature to me.
Brad
The U.S should “stuxnet” China on the aniversary of china sending their troops into the Korean War, issue a statement of denial, and do the same dance that China does every time. Give the doctor some of his own medicene, it would be interesting to see how they react.
yang zi
@Brad, you got the right idea. US has better skills in these area (who invented internet? I know it is not China), just go get your own secrets and protect yours better, no need to behave like a baby.