I hope everyone had a wonderful Fathers Day out there.  As is unusual for me, I decided to do something spur of the moment and suggested to my 3 year old that we “go on an adventure.” (He will soon come realize that this is code for long car ride).  We live in the Atlanta, Georgia area and decided to drive to Helen, Georgia.  Helen is a little town nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains on the banks of the Chattahoochee River.  It is pattered after a German Alpine village. 

It was an easy and stress free ride up Georgia 400.  It was nice to get away but of course on Fathers Day it was pretty crowded.  After walking around town for a while we decided to go tubing. 

Now the last time I went tubing was in college and it involved lots of alcohol and a bit more water in the river.  This time out was definitely a family affair.  My wife and I strapped our son’s tube between us and floated down the “hooch” for a couple of hours.  As I should have figured, being in a drought, the river level was low so we had to get ourselves unstuck a few times.  Everyone had a good time.  I took a tumble on a little stretch of rapids and struck my head on a rock while underwater.  Kyle fell off during another stretch but I was able pluck him from the water and he rode the rest of the way on my tube.  Not really my idea since that meant that I got stuck a bit more often but I think that it scared it more than he admitted.  I know it caused me to be a little scared until I had my hand on him.   In the end it was all good and we have some wonderful memories of this father’s day. 

I hope everyone else had a wonderful Father’s Day as well. 

The recent statements from Congressmen claiming to have been hacked the Chinese really isn’t a surprise.  In case you missed it here is a brief review:  Officials have indicated that the intrusions began in August 2006 although I would think that it has been taking place for much longer than that.  Anyway the extent is currently unknown but Rep. Frank Wolf (R – VA) and Rep Christopher Smith (R – NJ) were named as being among the targets.  Other targets included other members of Congress and at least one congressional committee.  Rep. Wolf is quoted as saying “They got everything”.  China of course has yet to comment on this incident. 

They have however offered comment on the allegation that they copied the contents of a laptop left unattended during a visit to China by Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez last December.  Foreign Ministry spokesman Quin Gang is quoted as saying

 ”These reports are totally groundless… These allegations are highly irresponsible…. China has made clear our principled position on many occasions: China is opposed to computer criminality including hackers.”

Of course this is the diplomatic response.  It isn’t like they could openly admit that they did this.  It isn’t like they haven’t openly published statements concerning their use of information warfare to achieve their objectives.  Oh wait – they did.  Check out Unrestricted Warfare by Qiao Liaug and Wang Xiangsui (Beijing: PLA Literature and Arts Publishing House, February 1999).  The book advocates a multitude of means, both military and particularly non-military to strike at the United States.  This includes hacking into websites, targeting financial institutions, terrorism, using the media and conducing urban warfare.  Targets also include private companies in a form of economic warfare conducted against our country and its interests.   

From Unrestricted Warfare:

 ”The reality of information exchanges and intertwining interests is continually broadening the meaning of warfare. Also, any country which plays a decisive role has various capabilities to threaten other countries, and not just with military means. The use of means singly will produce less and less effect. The advantages of the combined use of various kinds of means will become more and more evident. This has opened the door wide for supra-means combinations, and for the employment of these sorts of combinations in warfare or quasi-war actions.”

 Just in case China’s own words don’t ring home here are some quotes about China and its capability over the years:

 ”With the advent of the 21st Century, not only is it likely that many of the conflicts facing the United States and her allies will be of an asymmetrical and devolving nature, but it is also likely that”…”low-intensity conflict will be accompanied or compounded by computer/infrastructure attacks that may cause damage to vital commercial, military, and government information and confront communications systems.”

- Journal of Counter-Terrorism and Security International

“The potential advances in Chinese IW doctrine and capabilities have direct implications for U.S. national security. The ability of China to conduct IW against the United States in peacetime, confrontation, or conflict could pose severe challenges to defense planners.”

- Strategic Studies Institute

“China, Russia, and other nations have begun to focus on US commercial computer networks’ vulnerability in preparation for any future conflict.”

- CIA Director George Tenet, Wired Magazine

“In addition to developing wartime applications for its robust information control and perception management capability, China is pursuing IO/IW development as part of its overall military modernization.”

- Department of Defense Annual Report to Congress

While the most recent events are nothing new, I do hope that their blatant targeting of Congress will result in something more than hot rhetoric.  Perhaps a Congressional Investigation over China’s activities against the United States public and private interests will result?  Well if it results in public outrage and a change in how we as a culture view the protection of information then I’m all for it.