News Commentary: Is There Any Truth in the Google Hacking Story?

On Sundays I offer comments on some of the most interesting information technology stories that I have found on the web that week.  Please feel free to join in the discussion or suggest other stories.

Wow, this was a tough week to be an Information Technology Professional and not get frustrated with the news coverage of the case of the Google Hackers.  Our industry and profession are hard enough to explain to laymen without every major news organization in the world pulling out their experts and telling them to dumb down their commentary until they are essentially nonsensical.  Seriously, I have not read a single news story on Google’s self-proclaimed hacking that made sense, added value to the Google press release, or did justice to the complexity of the problem.  Take a look at the following two stories from CNN.com and tell me that they don’t over simplify the issue to boredom.

CNN.com – U.S. enables Chinese hacking of Google By Bruce Schneier

“Google made headlines when it went public with the fact that Chinese hackers had penetrated some of its services, such as Gmail, in a politically motivated attempt at intelligence gathering. The news here isn’t that Chinese hackers engage in these activities or that their attempts are technically sophisticated — we knew that already — it’s that the U.S. government inadvertently aided the hackers.

 

In order to comply with government search warrants on user data, Google created a backdoor access system into Gmail accounts. This feature is what the Chinese hackers exploited to gain access.”

CNN.com – Clinton: Internet ‘information curtain’ is dropping

“In a speech on Internet freedom and security, Clinton also urged China to investigate a wave of cyber attacks against Google and other companies.

 

The Internet and other technologies are critical to foreign policy, and those who engage in cyber attacks should face international condemnation, she said.

 

"In an interconnected world, an attack on one nation’s networks can be an attack on all," she said at The Newseum in Washington.”

Don’t get me wrong… I appreciate the severity of this issue.  I consider it a responsibility of a government to protect the property of its citizens and companies from attack from foreign governments and entities.  What I dislike is that stories like this make it seem overly easy, simplistic, one sided, and transparent.  Cyberspace is simply too new of a domain for rules, laws, and expectations to be set.  Honestly, my heart goes out to the victims of the Haiti Earthquake, but as far as I can tell that was the story that booted this frustrating discussion to the back page and probably into oblivion as far as mainstream media is concerned,

We do need international treaties and laws that govern The Information Domain.  Cyber Space will not self regulate.  What we cannot do, however, is try to apply old thinking, geographic-based constraints, and over simplification to the challenges that are ahead of us.

What do you think about this topic?  Do you agree or disagree with me? Do you have a recommended news story for next week? Please share your ideas below.

That is my Information Technology Thought of the Day (ITTOD) for January 17, 2010  by Scott Coughlin.

Image Credit: The U.S. Department of Justice

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