Life Between 0 and 1

China hacked US firms despite cyberpact

It’s amazing how the governments of countries say one thing but do something completely opposite later on.  I think its absolute crap that the US and China agreed not to hack each other and steal intellectual property [IP].  It’s like telling a child that the big box in that room over there is full of candy, but there is an agreement with the rooms owner that they are not to go in there because they agreed to not each the candy.  It’s ridiculous.

I don’t doubt at all that China has again hacked 5 technology companies and two pharmaceutical companies.  Our intrusion systems are advanced enough to see that there is a lot of traffic coming from a particular country and IP range, so how can they deny it.  At the same time though, I know for a fact that the US is doing the same thing, but the difference is that they’re covering their tracks better and not getting caught.  The internet is more akin to the wild west than it is to a civilized online community.  Sure, there are people out there that don’t do this sort of thing…  how does that saying go? “one bad apple ruins the whole bushel”?

Adding to the problem is the increased use of what a lot are referring to as the “dark net” which is an encrypted and secretive underbelly of the commercial internet.  There is no getting on this part of the internet without knowing someone already in there to invite you in.  It’s estimated that over 20% of all traffic on the internet currently is tied in some way to the dark net.  If its illegal and you think it can be exploited online, its in the dark net.  Movies, music, software and even human body parts are listed somewhere on the dark net for the right price.  The most utilized currently in the dark net is Bitcoin as there isn’t any traditional method of tracing the source or recipient.

Hacking is going to continue and most likely get worse before something is done, if at all.  I personally hope I never have to be the victim of hacking during my lifetime, but with our ever increasing reliance on technology I fear that we’re heading for a disaster only seen in movies.