TCTI: Too Crazy Too Ignore
 Dave Ross
AP: d989592f-482b-4eaf-9fa0-ad7051f3acd3
The Chinese government has denied involvement in the cyber-attacks tracked by Mandiant. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

We hired them to build our computers and now they're hacking them

BY Dave Ross  on February 20, 2013 @ 5:35 am (Updated: 5:49 am - 2/20/13 )

A report released in Washington has tracked cyber attacks on 141 companies, mostly American, and the source is not, as you might think, some cabal of alienated teenage keyboard jockeys.

"Our six years of research shows that these hackers are members of the People's Liberation Army's Unit at 63918," reports Grady Summers.

Summers is a vice president with Mendiant, the computer security company that tracked these attacks to a 12 story building in Shanghai's financial district.

The Chinese have vigorously denied it.

Sannon Van Sant translates, "China's foreign ministry spokesperson denied the charge and said China is a victim of cyber attacks from the U.S."

And they have a point. Our side is not unfamiliar with organized cyber attacks on other countries.

As "60 Minutes" reported in 2012, "The first attack using a computer virus called stuxnet was launched several years ago against an Iranian nuclear faciltiy almost certainly with some U.S. involvement."

So there's a little Karma at work here.

But not to worry. Mr. Summers tells France24 that thanks to our huge national debt, China can't afford to turn off our lights.

"In fact China is the (United States') biggest foreign investor so it wouldn't be to their advantage to cripple our infrastructure. The scary thing is - they have that access if they ever wanted to do it."

So, just be vigilant. Remember as you fill your iPhone with apps that control your sound system, your furnace, your garage door that one day, the Chinese military might change your play list, turn up the heat and trap your car. Who thought this would be how they bring us to our knees.

Dave Ross, KIRO Radio Talk Show Host
Dave Ross is co-host of The Ross & Burbank Show on KIRO Radio (weekdays 9-Noon) and never too far from the spotlight.
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  • Regularjoe44 wrote...
    I love this place...
    February 20, 2013 5:18 pm
    ...you guys can turn a choice between Bud and Bud light into partisan politics. What a country!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    messiah101 Oh! This is an absolute riot!
    February 21, 2013 12:18 am
    being lectured by this petulant foolish Obama supporting Left wing Parrot!

    Pigs will learn to fly today!

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    haha Lectured?? HA
    February 22, 2013 8:39 am
    I can't be lectured by someone who does not have the correct information on the topic,its simply running off at the mouth and looking like a FOOL,CBREW like you and several others don't mind looking like FOOLS its in your DNA
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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