China - Builds Up Cyber Capabilities

The Wall Street Journal posted an article in August focusing on China's military build up.  They referred to the annual report released by the Pentagon to Congress.

In the report, it indicated that China's military has built up their electronic warfare capabilities.  They have designed information warfare units to protect their networks and to attack their foes.  Tactics include creating viruses to attack adversaries' systems.

This recent report is consistent with a briefing that took place earlier this year at the House Armed Services Committee.  During the briefing back in January of 2010, the discussion included China's warfare capabilities.  Admiral Robert Willard indicated that the military and government systems in the USA are targets of cyber attacks and that many of those attacks appear to originate from within China.  He also noted that most of the attacks focus on taking information.

The capabilities are considered part of China's Peoples' Liberation Army military modernization program.




Wall Street Journal Article, "U.S. Sounds Alarm at China's Military Buildup", Adam, Entous, August 17, 2010

Defense News Article, "Chinese Buildup of Cyber, Space Tools Worries U.S.", January 13, 2010