China urged to investigate Great Cannon cyber attacks in US
Baton Rouge Post Saturday 9th May, 2015
• China's "Great Cannon" is a cyberattack tool that hijacks traffic to or from individual IP addresses
• Experts say Great Cannon gives China cyberattack capabilities similar to the US National Security Agency's Quantum program
• China blamed IT pirates for the latest cyber attacks against Web pages on Facebook accounts and against the project-hosting platform GitHub.
WASHINGTON - The United States asked China on Friday to investigate the alleged cyber attacks on companies and other interests in the US using a new tool called "The Great Cannon."
"We are concerned by reports that China has used a new cyber capability to interfere with the ability of worldwide Internet users to access content hosted outside of China," US State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke said.
"The cyber attack manipulated international web traffic intended for one of China's biggest web services companies and turned it into malicious traffic directed at U.S. sites," Rathke told a news briefing.
The spokesman was answering a question about the suspected use of "The Great Cannon" tool, which can be used to spy on Web users who visit Chinese sites or simply Web pages with content hosted in China.
China's "Great Cannon" is a distinct cyberattack tool that hijacks traffic to or from individual IP addresses and allows China to target "any foreign computer that communicates with any China-based website," according to an analysis from information technology research group Citizen Lab of Toronto.
"We have asked Chinese authorities to investigate this activity and provide us with the results of their investigation. At the same time, we're working with all willing partners to enhance cyber security, promote norms of acceptable state behavior in cyber space, and to protect the principle of freedom of expression online," the spokesman said.
"And we view attacks by malicious cyber actors who target critical infrastructure or US companies and US consumers as threats to national security and to the economy of the United States," he said.
According to US media, China blamed IT pirates for the latest cyber attacks against Web pages on Facebook accounts and against the project-hosting platform GitHub.
Asked about reports of increasing media censorship by Chinese authorities, Rathke said, "The United States is committed to protecting the Internet as an open platform ... free from censorship and interference."
Experts at the University of Toronto reported on the Great Cannon last month, noting denial of service attacks carried out by the system.
According to the experts the Great Cannon gives China cyber attack capabilities similar to the US National Security Agency's Quantum program, revealed in documents leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.
Chinese Embassy spokesman Zhu Haiquan said Friday: "China firmly opposes and combats any form of cyber attack in accordance with law. We hope that instead of making accusations without solid evidence, the US side can take a more constructive attitude and work together with us to address cyber issues."
He also said the Chinese government, "Guarantees the citizens' freedom of speech on the Internet as well as the public's right to know, to participate, to be heard and to oversee in accordance with the law."
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