China Denies State Sponsored Computer Hacking

China is officially denying any involvement in state sponsored computer hacking activities directed towards the German government.  (PC World article: German Government PCs Hacked)  A few days ago the German magazine Der Spiegel, had claimed that German government computers had been compromised by Chinese computer hackers.

Whether or not any government involvement is proved in this incident, this case does illustrate the need for governments around the world to shore up their critical and technology infrastructures from potential malfeasance by attackers.  Here in the U.S. this debate has raged for quite some time.

Too often, as citizens of any country we fail to foresee the social and economic impact which may occur as a result of a major attack in critical infrastructures including the Internet.   Today the Internet is intertwined into almost every facet of our daily lives.   Its time we as citizens of the world, ask our governments to invest in protecting the critical and technology infrastructures that impact our daily lives.

I would guess it may be easier for a state sponsored terror network to create panic in any country by knocking out the technology infrastructure, thereby impacting our telephones, cellular phones, on-line banking, air traffic control systems, building environmental controls, etc. than it is to do physical harm to any of our airports, schools, shopping centers, etc.

If governments don't wake up to the fact that critical and technology infrastructures must be better protected, we could wake up one morning back in the stone age--without the conveniences of the modern world.