subject: Work Together To Address The Growing Threat [print this page] American and Chinese defense officials on Monday expressed a willingness to work together to address the growing threat of cyber attacks.There is growing concern among U.S. officials, lawmakers and cyber security experts that America's defense, business, such as rotary kiln business and economic interests, such as flotation cell interest are increasingly threatened by foreign cyber attacks. And often, China is cited as the source of these intrusions. President Barack Obama has cited cyber security as one of the most serious economic and national security challenges facing the United States. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says Sino-American cooperation is crucial.During high-level talks last week in Beijing, cyber security was among the major issues discussed by civilian and military leaders. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that during the annual Strategic and Economic Dialogue, the United States expressed its growing concern about the threat cyber intrusions pose to economic and national security across the world. She stressed the need for the worlds two biggest cyber actors - the United States and China - to have a sustained, meaningful dialogue on cyberspace and to develop a shared understanding of acceptable norms of behavior.But the push for cooperation and the fact that not all cyber attacks originate in China do not mean that Washington is unconcerned about the role Beijing plays in such intrusions. Last year, a report issued by U.S. intelligence agencies listed Chinese actors in cyberspace as the most active and persistent perpetrators of economic espionage. Russias intelligence services were also cited for using cyberspace to collect economic information and acquire U.S. technology.The report said that although private U.S. firms and cyber security specialists have reported a massive number of intrusions that originated in China, it is difficult to determine who is ultimately responsible.Beijing says it is the biggest victim of cyber attacks, noting that last year some 47,000 foreign Internet addresses were involved in attacks on nearly nine million computers in China.In addition to cyber threats, the two defense officials discussed a range of other issues, including North Koreas nuclear program, U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
