Accession Number:

ADA566545

Title:

China: Paper Tiger in Cyberspace

Descriptive Note:

Monograph

Corporate Author:

ARMY COMMAND AND GENERAL STAFF COLL FORT LEAVENWORTH KS SCHOOL OF ADVANCED MILITARY STUDIES

Personal Author(s):

• Oliva, Ammilee A.

Report Date:

2012-05-17

Pagination or Media Count:

46.0

Abstract:

For the last decade, the Peoples Liberation Army PLA has been building its cyber capabilities and expanding the importance of cyber technology in military operations. Observers interpret recent cyber incidents as evidence that the Peoples Republic of China PRC and the PLA possess cyber capabilities that pose a threat to the United States and its allies. The question is, are the incidents really manifestations of a PLA threat To answer that question, it was necessary to define cyber attack and cyber war and then determine whether the cyber incidents reported could support the inference that the Chinese have the capability to conduct cyber attacks on other nations. Next, it was necessary to interpret Chinese efforts to produce military cyber capabilities and determine whether China possesses the intent to attack the United States. Finally, an explanation of hacker incidents assisted in gaining an understanding of the Chinese cyber threat. To constitute a threat, an adversary must possess both the capability to attack and the motive. The evidence available shows that the Chinese have made significant advances in cyber technology, but their intent to use it against the United States is unclear. Chinas lack of transparency has caused other nations to speculate and worry about Chinas intent. Defense contractors and politicians have interpreted hacking incidents linked to Chinese citizens to be a manifestation of PRC military activity, but the evidence is insubstantial. Despite the PLAs interest in and preparations for cyber operations, and the importance of networks to military operations, open source evidence does not justify the conclusion that the PRC is a threat per se. Much of what has been classified as a cyber attack is not hostile at all and is actually clandestine spying and a form of intelligence gathering inside computer networks. Hackers, Chinas internal security threat, are likely their first and foremost priority.

Descriptors:

• *ATTACK
• *CHINA
• *CYBERTERRORISM
• *CYBERWARFARE
• *HACKING(COMPUTER SECURITY)
• *MILITARY CAPABILITIES
• *THREAT EVALUATION
• COMPUTER ACCESS CONTROL
• COMPUTER NETWORK SECURITY
• DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
• GOVERNMENT(FOREIGN)
• INFORMATION WARFARE
• MILITARY FORCES(FOREIGN)
• MOTIVATION

Subject Categories:

• Computer Systems Management and Standards
• Military Forces and Organizations
• Military Operations, Strategy and Tactics

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE