Hacks targeting Chinese iCloud users prompt Apple CEO Tim Cook to meet China's vice premier
Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook has reportedly traveled to Beijing to meet with the vice premier of China to discuss protecting user data, a meeting prompted by recent hacks targeting iCloud users in the country.
Cook met with Vice Premier Ma Kai in Zhongnanhai, which is the Beijing complex home to the Chinese government, according to Reuters. Citing local media reports, it was said that the two sides discussed "protection of users' information," as well as "strengthening cooperation and in information and communication fields."
The attacks were first revealed by Chinese activist group GreatFire.org, which has accused the Chinese government of being involved in the attacks. Hackers have been harvesting iCloud user data by spoofing the icloud.com website, and Apple has published a step-by-step guide on how users can verify they are connected to the authentic iCloud website in Safari, Chrome and Firefox.
As another security measure, Apple also appears to have rerouted user data to help prevent further attacks, according to GreatFire.org.
The "man-in-the-middle" attacks are said to have incredibly deep access to the servers of government-owned Chinese Internet providers, which has fueled speculation that the government is cooperating with the attacks. For its part, the Chinese government has denied the accusations.
The attacks began this past weekend, and are said to be similar to previous hacks targeting Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft Hotmail. The hackers' efforts first came to light when users in China began to receive security warnings from Apple's iCloud service.
Cook met with Vice Premier Ma Kai in Zhongnanhai, which is the Beijing complex home to the Chinese government, according to Reuters. Citing local media reports, it was said that the two sides discussed "protection of users' information," as well as "strengthening cooperation and in information and communication fields."
The attacks were first revealed by Chinese activist group GreatFire.org, which has accused the Chinese government of being involved in the attacks. Hackers have been harvesting iCloud user data by spoofing the icloud.com website, and Apple has published a step-by-step guide on how users can verify they are connected to the authentic iCloud website in Safari, Chrome and Firefox.
As another security measure, Apple also appears to have rerouted user data to help prevent further attacks, according to GreatFire.org.
The "man-in-the-middle" attacks are said to have incredibly deep access to the servers of government-owned Chinese Internet providers, which has fueled speculation that the government is cooperating with the attacks. For its part, the Chinese government has denied the accusations.
The attacks began this past weekend, and are said to be similar to previous hacks targeting Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft Hotmail. The hackers' efforts first came to light when users in China began to receive security warnings from Apple's iCloud service.
Comments
The Chinese are ridiculous. I'd like to see someone teach them to be nice. Not that that's likely to happen any time soon.
"Here's the thing, Giddy-up-ooh-poppa-Mao-Mao... If you want to keep your people employed, you're gonna need to cut this nonsense out. I don't care if you're directly involved this time; crack down on the people doing it, then. Or don't be surprised when robot factories start springing up in the American Southwest."
What are your thoughts on this?
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I can send you some photos of the Great Wall if you'd like.
just kidding
I guess if you're willing to do this the iPhone 6 Plus isn't too big. May as well get an iPad Air pocket installed, though.
Watch another decade and see where China stands in world order. Possibly #1.
Interestingly, in iOS highlighting and the pressing the "Speak" button will yield spoken Chinese... Would be neat if there was also a "Translate and Speak" button...
Stealing only gets you so far. Their entire country is based on copying. They need a new cultural attitude shift, starting in Beijing. But it won't happen, because stealing is always easier than thinking. Just ask Samsung.
Apple,Google,others don't get it. And no one outside of China understands how well China is playing in cyber-hacking against others. It is no more geographical boundary protection. Chinese government's intelligent/spy branches as well others within china sponsored/supported by chines government has been hacking and stealing intellectual properties, future product plan/strategy from commercial and defense companies from rest of the world (American, European, Japanese, Korean,etc) for very very very long time. Just they don't know. Than, copy and sell at lower price because they don't have to account for R&D and use cheap local labor. On top, do dirty things like hacking other companies servers to steal user data and expose on internet to disrupt their focus on their business and make them spend more on fixing hack, cyber-security than product development. Moreover, with additional regulations, china put restrictions on outside companies to make doing business in china very difficult. So, for China it is WIN-WIN and WIN scenarios.
Watch another decade and see where China stands in world order. Possibly #1.
Google quit China altogether a few years ago after some hacks
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8455712.stm
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/23/google-china-news-googles_n_509550.html
"Here's the thing, Giddy-up-ooh-poppa-Mao-Mao... If you want to keep your people employed, you're gonna need to cut this nonsense out. I don't care if you're directly involved this time; crack down on the people doing it, then. Or don't be surprised when robot factories start springing up in the American Southwest."
You must know how silly this sounds.
Tzeshan, this relates to a discussion we had earlier.
What are your thoughts on this?
This AI article missed an important information. According to Reuters the government has strongly refuted. This is what I said many media is biased. This bias has fooled us into costly invasion of Iraq. Bush can easily fool Americans that Iraq is making WMDs. In the years before 911, I read many Reuters news reporting Iraqi government words which repeatedly refuted many anti-Iraq claims. But AP news which is very biased never reported. From this discrepancy, I actually arrived the conclusion that Iraq was not making WMDs.
Similar situation happens to China for decades. Many anti-Chinese government forces has repeatedly fabricated facts to demonize CCP. Fa Lung Gong is in particular who fabricated that Chinese government harvested thousands of live people organs. FLG has its own newspaper, radio/tv station. It makes you wonder who is supporting this nonsense organization?
There is no winning this one. The world is addicted to technology. This kind of activity will continue and get more blatant. People will pause for a moment and then say oh well, and continue to allow their privacy to be compromised in order to check Facebook or whatever it is we do as we stare at our devices almost constantly.
I guess if you're willing to do this the iPhone 6 Plus isn't too big. May as well get an iPad Air pocket installed, though.
haha, that's ridiculous!
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The problem is that Cook is not in a position of power to negotiate anything. If he were to threaten that Apple will pull manufacturing out of China, Xi can say that China will then ban the devices and there is no way that Apple is going to give up the Chinese market.
Although the fact that Cook is "going to the mountain" is a sign of respect that Xi might appreciate. That doesn't mean that the Chinese are going to stop spying on their people (and everyone else). They're too paranoid not to spy, especially with the current situation in Hong Kong.
I'm sorry. I'm not sure I understood your reply.
You're saying that the missing important information from this article is that the Chinese government refuted this claim against them?
Is that correct?
haha, that's ridiculous!
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What's especially ridiculous is that I bet the 6+ already fits perfectly well in that woman's inside jacket breast pocket.
I'm sorry. I'm not sure I understood your reply.
You're saying that the missing important information from this article is that the Chinese government refuted this claim against them?
Is that correct?
Yes. I think this is the original news from xinhuanet.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/info/2014-10/22/c_133733410.htm
When this AI article did not mention this refutation it will clearly give many AI readers this impression that Chinese government has admitted it did it. So it is extremely important for faithful reporting.
I'm sorry. I'm not sure I understood your reply.
You're saying that the missing important information from this article is that the Chinese government refuted this claim against them?
Is that correct?
I'm not sure at the point that he's trying to make either.
That Saddam Hussein, Comical Ali and the Chinese Govt are honest and trustworthy sources, and that we should believe them?