Cybersecurity has emerged as a major espionage tool in recent years, one that can be used by individual nations. In the past, China has been repeatedly accused of using hackers to steal industrial and military designs from U.S. firms. To discuss the matter, U.S. and China are all set to meet next month.
The meeting will take place between high-level officials from both countries and will primarily focus on issues related to cybersecurity. After months of back-and-forth accusations hurled by both sides, this is the first instance that a diplomatic endeavor is being made to resolve the issue.
In the past, Chinese hackers have been found to be involved in a number of cyber espionage attempts. These attempts were made on a whole range of US-based companies, such as banks, newspapers and financial institutions. Recently, a security firm was able to confirm that a number of these attacks seem to be emanating from a specific building in Shanghai. The building is under the effective control of People’s Liberation Army.
There has been ample evidence that industrial espionage is being committed by Chinese hackers. A number of companies in China are able to create exact replicas of latest products released by some major U.S. companies. The designs of these products are proprietary but Chinese hackers are able to access them online.
It remains to be seen how fruitful the meeting between the officials from two countries proves. It is absolutely critical for the U.S. to persuade China into stopping hackers based in the country from stealing intellectual property from other countries.
Source: New York Times
Courtesy: The Verge
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