No one can ignore the fact that we are living in the digital age. Literally, everyone is connected through the Internet in order to participate in modern social and economic activities. Every sector of our lives is now interconnected and can be controlled from a single location.
Which is a very good thing for humanity. Digitization has broken down the barriers of time, space and distance. Unlike in times that are now gone by, people do not have to meet physically to transact business or to socialise.
But therein lies the risk. There are those who can misuse the Internet to achieve their diabolical desires of harming others for various reasons. A recent case pitting the United States and China is a case in point where the latter accused the superpower of launching cyber-attacks on the China Northwestern Polytechnical University.
On September 5 both the China National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center (CVERC) and Cybersecurity Company 360 released investigation reports on the attacks on Northwestern Polytechnical University from the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) that revealed how the NSA-affiliated personnel mounted hundreds of thousands malicious cyber-attacks targeting Chinese institutions and interests.
The reports showed that the United States used 41 specialised cyber weapons to launch cyber theft operations for over 1,000 times against Northwestern Polytechnical University and stole core technical data.
In a press conference on the same day following the revelations, Foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning disclosed that the US used 41 specialised cyber weapons to launch cyber theft operations for over 1,000 times against Northwestern Polytechnical University and stole core technical data.
Well, it is an open secret that the US has for a long time carried out indiscriminate audio surveillance on Chinese cell-phone users, stolen their text messages and conducted wireless location surveillance on Chinese citizens. Of course, this has greatly compromised both China’s national security and their citizens’ personal information.
Said Mao: “”I want to stress that security of the cyber space is a common issue facing all countries in the world. As the country that possesses the most powerful cyber technologies and capabilities, the United States should immediately stop using its prowess as an advantage to conduct theft and attacks against other countries, responsibly participate in global cyber space governance and play a constructive role in defending cyber security.”
Indeed, the US has given the erroneous impression that China is the ultra-hacker of the West’s cyber systems. But this incident clearly shows who between the two geopolitical, economic and ideological adversaries is the culprit in infiltrating other countries’ cyber system for espionage and theft of trade secrets.
According to a report on China’s internet development released by the China Internet Network Information Center, the number of China’s netizens grew to approximately 1.05 billion, with the ratio of internet access coverage nationwide reaching 74.4 percent as of June.
The 2022 China Cybersecurity Week kicked off Monday in Hefei, capital of East China’s Anhui province. The event, which ends on September 11, consists of both online and offline activities. This year’s Cybersecurity Week theme emphasizes that a secure cyberspace environment serves and relies on the people. China launched its first cybersecurity week in 2014.
More than 60 companies and organisations are participating in the cybersecurity expo. For the first time this year’s event includes few auto companies have been invited to the expo to help raise public awareness of vehicle data security through on-site demonstrations. Nine forums are scheduled for the week focusing on different topics such as cybersecurity technologies, cybersecurity for teenagers, vehicle data security, artificial intelligence and personal data protection. Special events are also taking place in communities, campuses, villages and enterprises to raise people’s awareness on cybersecurity.
The cybersecurity week was also launched in the China’s military barracks with the aim of promoting civility in cyberspace, boosting cyber literacy among military personnel, and solidifying cybersecurity in the armed forces to create a sound military-related cyberspace environment for the preparation of the upcoming 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.
Basically, the event brings together industry stakeholders, features a series of activities and provides learning resources for the businesses, schools and the general public with a view to raising their awareness, grasping the skills and learning the proper etiquette when using the Internet.
The writer is the Executive Director of South-South Dialogues and a PhD student in International Relations at USIU-Kenya
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