Google v. China

[Dense]

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/...-to-china.html

Like many other well-known organizations, we face cyber attacks of varying degrees on a regular basis. In mid-December, we detected a highly sophisticated and targeted attack on our corporate infrastructure originating from China that resulted in the theft of intellectual property from Google. However, it soon became clear that what at first appeared to be solely a security incident--albeit a significant one--was something quite different.

First, this attack was not just on Google. As part of our investigation we have discovered that at least twenty other large companies from a wide range of businesses--including the Internet, finance, technology, media and chemical sectors--have been similarly targeted. We are currently in the process of notifying those companies, and we are also working with the relevant U.S. authorities.

Second, we have evidence to suggest that a primary goal of the attackers was accessing the Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists. Based on our investigation to date we believe their attack did not achieve that objective. Only two Gmail accounts appear to have been accessed, and that activity was limited to account information (such as the date the account was created) and subject line, rather than the content of emails themselves.

Third, as part of this investigation but independent of the attack on Google, we have discovered that the accounts of dozens of U.S.-, China- and Europe-based Gmail users who are advocates of human rights in China appear to have been routinely accessed by third parties. These accounts have not been accessed through any security breach at Google, but most likely via phishing scams or malware placed on the users' computers.

We have already used information gained from this attack to make infrastructure and architectural improvements that enhance security for Google and for our users. In terms of individual users, we would advise people to deploy reputable anti-virus and anti-spyware programs on their computers, to install patches for their operating systems and to update their web browsers. Always be cautious when clicking on links appearing in instant messages and emails, or when asked to share personal information like passwords online. You can read more here about our cyber-security recommendations. People wanting to learn more about these kinds of attacks can read this U.S. government report (PDF), Nart Villeneuve's blog and this presentation on the GhostNet spying incident.

We have taken the unusual step of sharing information about these attacks with a broad audience not just because of the security and human rights implications of what we have unearthed, but also because this information goes to the heart of a much bigger global debate about freedom of speech. In the last two decades, China's economic reform programs and its citizens' entrepreneurial flair have lifted hundreds of millions of Chinese people out of poverty. Indeed, this great nation is at the heart of much economic progress and development in the world today.

We launched Google.cn in January 2006 in the belief that the benefits of increased access to information for people in China and a more open Internet outweighed our discomfort in agreeing to censor some results. At the time we made clear that "we will carefully monitor conditions in China, including new laws and other restrictions on our services. If we determine that we are unable to achieve the objectives outlined we will not hesitate to reconsider our approach to China."

These attacks and the surveillance they have uncovered--combined with the attempts over the past year to further limit free speech on the web--have led us to conclude that we should review the feasibility of our business operations in China. We have decided we are no longer willing to continue censoring our results on Google.cn, and so over the next few weeks we will be discussing with the Chinese government the basis on which we could operate an unfiltered search engine within the law, if at all. We recognize that this may well mean having to shut down Google.cn, and potentially our offices in China.

The decision to review our business operations in China has been incredibly hard, and we know that it will have potentially far-reaching consequences. We want to make clear that this move was driven by our executives in the United States, without the knowledge or involvement of our employees in China who have worked incredibly hard to make Google.cn the success it is today. We are committed to working responsibly to resolve the very difficult issues raised.

[Chicomagiko]

Holy fuck.

[Dense]

Here's a link from CNN:

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TECH/01/...ina/index.html

Google said Tuesday the company and at least 20 others were victims of a "highly sophisticated and targeted attack" originating in China in mid-December, evidently to gain access to the e-mail accounts of Chinese human rights activists.
"Based on our investigation to date we believe their attack did not achieve that objective," according to a statement by David Drummond, senior vice president of corporate development and chief legal officer for Google, operator of the most popular Internet search engine.
Drummond said that as a result of the attacks, Google has decided it is no longer willing to consider censorship of its Google site in China and may have to shut down its site and its offices in that nation.
"These attacks and the surveillance they have uncovered -- combined with the attempts over the past year to further limit free speech on the Web -- have led us to conclude that we should review the feasibility of our business operations in China," Drummond wrote.
"We have decided we are no longer willing to continue censoring our results on Google.cn, and so over the next few weeks we will be discussing with the Chinese government the basis on which we could operate an unfiltered search engine within the law, if at all.
"We recognize that this may well mean having to shut down Google.cn, and potentially our offices in China," Drummond's statement reads.
A Google spokesman said the targeted human rights activists were in the United States, Europe and China.
Efforts by CNN to reach the Chinese Embassy in Washington Tuesday evening were not successful.
Google, perhaps best known for its search engine, also provides other computer services, including e-mail, online mapping and social networking.

[Zilong]

i thought china is making their own internet and shit.

[6souls]

oddy enough China's #1 search engine, Baidu, was hacked yesterday by the same group that hacked Twitter last month, the Iranian cyber army.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8453718.stm

BBC also has a few other tidbits on the story;

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Google's allegations "raise very serious concerns and questions", and that the US was seeking an explanation from China.

...

If it does pull out, the move will "leave other overseas web companies operating in China with difficult decisions to make," he said.

The search engine market in China was worth more than $1bn in 2009, with analysts expecting Google to make about $600m from China in 2010.

Unlike most markets, Google comes second in search in China.

It has 26% of the market compared with about 60% controlled by market leader Baidu, which has a close relationship with the Chinese government. Yahoo has 10%.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8455712.stm

Everything else in the article has already been posted.

[deshende]

Very interesting stuff.

This gives me a very cyberpunk time era feel.

[Correction]

The most depressing part of this news is that it's going to get buried by the Haiti earthquake, it won't get any traction with policy makers

[Xno Kappa]

Google has decided China is in it's way for their plans of world domination.

On a serious note, shit'll be crazy if it picks up traction over there.

[Gwynplaine]

Makes me wonder if the Chinese govt. hasn't taken some inspiration from the CRU data hacking/leaks. I've always been against Google's compliance with assisting to build the Great Firewall of China. But if they're ready to redeem themselves then this is good news. It will be interesting to see if they have the balls.

[Skjie]

Corporations directly against Governments. Cyberpunk indeed.

[GRT]

I wonder whether Google.cn has made any money. Most Chinese internet users know about Google, like most of us know about Bing. Few actually use it as a search engine to my knowledge.

[Acturus]

I wonder whether Google.cn has made any money. Most Chinese internet users know about Google, like most of us know about Bing. Few actually use it as a search engine to my knowledge.

[...]Google also has some very good business reasons to exit China at this time. As the distant number two player to dominant Baidu Inc., which according to comScore Inc. has 62.2% of the Chinese Internet search market, it is not exactly risking a lot. Google had a 14.1% stake in November, comScore said.

From here:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/goo...dist=countdown

[Blabj]

http://images.google.cn/images?q=tiananmen+massacre

[Woozie]

Is there any real benefit to using one search engine over another? In my own experience, I've never noticed them to really give me different results, except slight differences in ordering. Maybe others have had different experiences?

[Acturus]

Is there any real benefit to using one search engine over another? In my own experience, I've never noticed them to really give me different results, except slight differences in ordering. Maybe others have had different experiences?

Bing raped my dog. Other than that, no, no preference.

[GRT]

Ya, more of a habit than a preference imo.

And thanks for the stats Acturus.

[Demosthenes11]

china has been doing this since long before 2006 and has not stopped. this is in order to make it not look like a business decision because they aren't doing well there.

[Acturus]

china has been doing this since long before 2006 and has not stopped. this is in order to make it not look like a business decision

I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking this way.

Google catches a lot of flack for being very "big brother." BUT, if Google can PR spin, "look at us, we're looking out for you!" then it certainly helps them out in the long run.

[Silenka]

Google don't fuck around.

I'm tired of China's governmental policies and I don't even have to live there.

[Demosthenes11]

Google don't fuck around.

I'm tired of China's governmental policies and I don't even have to live there.

trust me, google doesn't have 1 bit of a problem with censorship lol