back to article US cyberspying fears hang over Beijing Olympics

US paranoia about Chinese computer hackers has created a diplomatic dilemma about whether or not to warn visitors and business people traveling to next month's Beijing Olympics about cyber-security risks. Last month the department of Homeland Security privately warned government and key private-sector contacts of the cyber- …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    How to behave when you're in China....

    This one's how US troops should behave in Germany after the second world war, but the principles the same:

    http://einestages.spiegel.de/static/topicalbumbackground/1822/der_film_der_seinen_zweck_verfehlte.html

    Either that or the US should lighten up. And I bet the guy who lost his blackberry just got it stolen and no doubt money and anything expensive. Geez you talk as if every Chinese is part of the government machine.

  2. jubtastic1

    It's like Coppery and Silvery

    Yanks accuse Chinese of copying the contents of laptop hard disks at border crossings? heh is this a business practice patent dispute?

  3. Henry Cobb
    Joke

    Who will explain what the Internet is to McCain?

    Will it be Lieberman or will he go straight talk to the source and ask Gore?

    Just as long as he get his shite straight this time.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Black Helicopters

    Evil Empire!

    "included copying the contents of laptop hard disks at border crossing"

    Read: Pot, Kettle, Black.

    What the advisory should say....

    We are concered that someone else other than the US goverment is spying on you, using techniques that clearly have been stolen of us.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Spying techniques ... copying laptop hard disks at border crossing

    "Spying techniques outlined in the advisory, which wasn't made public, included copying the contents of laptop hard disks at border crossing..."

    So its 'searching' when done at a US broder, but 'spying' when done at a Chinese border. Thanks for the clarification, Dept Homeland Security.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    Oh dear

    > included copying the contents of laptop hard disks at border crossing

    You mean, like the US does as a matter of course? Shame on those bloody Chinese, they can't do that! Stupid merkins...

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Stop

    DHS warns of laptop copying?

    I find this a little ... unsmart. Which country is it that routinely copies harddrives of laptops, mp3-players, whatever, in search of any "premium content" that you haven't paid the MPAA/RIAA/MAFIAA tax for?

    When are the DHS going to warn travellers visiting the United Surveillance Alliance regarding the same problems?

  8. The Mole

    Seems fair...

    ... as long as they clearly point out to the world at the same time that America allows it's border guards to copy the content of travellers laptops as well.

  9. Mark
    Black Helicopters

    Sigh. A little reminder for us.gov

    AT&T.

    Border control taking laptops.

    No need to worry, guys, you're still WELL ahead.

  10. Pete Silver badge

    good advice for visiting the US, too

    > Some businesses, such as General Electric, already issue guidance on how to minimise cyber-security risks, such as leaving laptops behind or using a dedicated travel laptop with an encrypted hard drive.

    Now that the americans have given themselves the right to scan people's laptops when they enter the USA, it would seem reasonable to exercise the same precautions when going there, that they are advising for visiting other countries.

  11. Steven Raith
    Thumb Down

    Irony?

    "Spying techniques outlined in the advisory, which wasn't made public, included copying the contents of laptop hard disks at border crossing[s]"

    Snigger. Pot calling the kettle black there, no?

    Steven R

  12. Paul
    Black Helicopters

    Which border?

    "copying the contents of laptop hard disks at border crossing"

    Is that leaving the US or entering another country?

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Black Helicopters

    Hypocritical

    And the US would never do such things as looking at the contents of laptop hard disks at borders. Would they?

  14. Lukin Brewer
    Alert

    Beware the Red Chinese!

    Yes, beware the Red Chinese and their putative officially-backed data theft shenanigans!

    Rest assured that the US would never indulge in such practices. Never. Never never. Absolutely not. No way, Jose.

    It would take a very firmly-worded and secret directive from the President or one of his associates giving clear orders and deniability before they would even consider forcing everyone to open up their laptops etc. so that they could check/copy/backdoor them in the name of Homeland Security(TM).

    And anyone who would suggest otherwise is just a whining pinko liberal who is undermining the War on Terror with their baseless conspiracy theorising, and probably doesn't believe in God or the manifest destiny of GWB either.

  15. min

    Aren't the Maricons...

    ...a little too (toooooooooooooooooooooo!!) fond of unspeak?

  16. Mark

    Re: Which border?

    Uh, the two you gave are, for the US THE SAME FREAKING THING!

    So why did you ask?

    To answer the question you MEANT and got completely correct in the heading, but fucked it up in the body, this is when entering the US border.

    You can also be tagged legitimately (as far as King Shrub II, PBUH) if your conversation goes outside the US. Which is probably fairly easy. After all, in the UK UK->UK internet transfers seem often to go to the US on the way to Preston.

  17. Jeremy
    Coat

    Re: Irony?

    Now now, you know they don't understand that...

  18. Daniel B.

    Look into the mirror...

    "Spying techniques outlined in the advisory, which wasn't made public, included copying the contents of laptop hard disks at border crossing or in hotel rooms and "loading spyware" onto BlackBerry mobile devices, the Wall Street Journal reports."

    Oh, like the Border guards do entering the US? At least the Chinese don't think everyone is a terrorist. Though they might take an interest if you enter china with Falun Gong symbols... or 'Free Tibet' T-shirts... but then again, you'd expect the same suspicions entering the US with a "BIN LADEN LIVES! DIE INFIDELS!" T-shirt!

  19. Jeffrey Nonken
    Black Helicopters

    Pot, meet kettle

    As an American I have to say that I'm appalled by this hypocrisy.

    Not in the least surprised. Just appalled.

    For the last few months I've been trying to come up with ways of sneaking data past the borders without jumping through hoops or depending on encryption. Haven't come up with anything that would stand a thorough search, though I have a couple ideas that would probably get past a normal search.

    Of course, for saying that I'm now probably on a list of potential strip-search detainees. Let me say now, and for the record, that none of these techniques involve any bodily orifices. Thank you.

  20. Belxjander Serechai

    I managed to get 1TB of Data Storage through 2 sets of customs

    And I never got searched or asked about the content at all,

    that was the first trip...

    Two more trips later and only taking half of it with me... (the secured section)

    was quite funny since none of the border controls in 3 countries even blinked...

    I just said I was a Comp Tech Guy and kept the machine and drives *seperate*

    they cant "search" what they dont have kit to search immediately,

    simple and effective :)

  21. Tonto Popaduopolos
    Heart

    @ Belxjander Serechai

    You are brilliant!

    Aren't the border Nazis stupid ? I bet their faces are red now.

    I absolutely have to have your children.

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