Could China be running espionage operations in the Caribbean under the guise of aid?

By Felix OmondiFrom innov8tiv

Over the last few years, various Caribbean governments have been the beneficiaries of personal computers donations from foreign governments. Now security experts allege that there could be clandestine hardware modifications done to some of these computers that could pose a threat to these countries’ national security. The following are some Caribbean countries that have benefited from China’s computer donations:

Antigua and Barbuda: 500 laptops from China towards the country’s One Laptop per Child Policy. China also supplied the country with military aid, which included computers.

Bahamas: In September 2013, China supplied Lenovo laptops to the Bahamas Government Information Services.

Barbados: China gave all members of parliament laptops.

Dominica: In 2013, China supplied 6 laptop computers and 30 desktop computers among other computer accessories.

Grenada: It’s reported China supplied computers to the Royal Grenada Police Force.

Trinidad and Tobago: Back in 2011, the government purchased 17,300 Lenovo laptops.

Last year, the Australian Financial Review (AFR) reported that Lenovo Computers have been banned by various intelligence agencies around the world; citing “back-door” hardware and “firmware” vulnerabilities in the Lenovo chips. Lenovo is a leading computer manufacturer initially created by a Chinese government department but has grown to become one of the leading computer makers in the world.

Dennis Adonis, an author at Epoch Times, wrote that Jamaica and Guyana are probably the leading beneficiaries from China’s investments in the Caribbean. They are also the principal users of largely counterfeit technology from China.

Adonis wrote, “From the computer units used by every government department, to Guyana’s One Laptop Per Family Project, the Chinese government-planted Hubber Spy Worm has certainly given China a firm clandestine hold on every single keystroke, email and communication emanating from the Guyanese government, and even that of its citizens.”

Guyana is said to be the biggest Caribbean economic playground and hub for communication harvesting for China. Unknowingly it is the biggest host of HUB 79; alleged China’s cyber army launched in the Caribbean that is also allegedly backed by the Chinese government. Rabin Seth, a retired Israeli Intelligence officer, told Epoch Times says the function of HUB 79 is to infiltrate the computers of Guyanese government officials, diplomatic officials, military personnel, media house and journalist among other similar units. It then retrieves any and all information that could be useful to China in advancing its trade, economic growth, security and military interest.

Seth cited the purchase of GT&T (Guyana’s main telecommunication company) by Datang Group, which is funded by the Chinese government was not an accident. He also said Huawei Technology presence in Guyana’s eGovernance Project a mere coincidence. Seth outlined to Epoch Times several countries including the USA, which have already banned Huawei from having any dealing in their respective government projects. Under the allegations that Huawei is an intelligence tool for the government of China and poses a serious threat to other countries’ national security.

For more on this story go to: http://www.innov8tiv.com/china-running-espionage-operations-caribbean-guise-aid/

AND

China State Media demands ‘severe punishment’ for Google, Apple, US Tech firms

From Moneynews

Chinese state media lashed out at Google Inc., Apple Inc. and other U.S. technology companies on Wednesday, calling on Beijing “to punish severely the pawns” of the U.S. government for monitoring China and stealing secrets.

U.S. companies such as Yahoo Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Facebook Inc. threaten the cybersecurity of China and its Internet users, said the People’s Daily on its microblog, in comments echoed on the front page of the English-language China Daily.

It is not clear what sparked this latest round of vitriol, nor what information the U.S. firms are alleged to have stolen. 

But Chinese media have repeatedly attacked American tech companies for aiding the U.S. government’s cyber espionage since U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden revealed widespread spying programs including PRISM.

Under PRISM, the NSA seized data from companies such as Google and Apple, according to revelations made by Snowden a year ago.

Chinese state-owned firms have since begun dispensing with the services of U.S. companies such as IBM Corp., Oracle Corp. and Cisco in favor of domestic technology. As a result, Snowden’s revelations may cost U.S. companies billions of dollars, analysts say.

“U.S. companies including Apple, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, etc. are all coordinating with the PRISM program to monitor China,” the People’s Daily said on its official microblog.

“To resist the naked Internet hegemony, we will draw up international regulations, and strengthen technology safeguards, but we will also severely punish the pawns of the villain. The priority is strengthening penalties and punishments, and for anyone who steals our information, even though they are far away, we shall punish them!” it said.

Google has already had problems in China this week. On Monday, a China censorship watchdog said Google services were being disrupted ahead of Wednesday’s 25th anniversary of the 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators around Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.

“We cannot say this more clearly — the (U.S.) government does not have access to Google servers — not directly, or via a back door, or a so-called drop box,” said Google Chief Legal Officer David Drummond in an emailed statement on Wednesday. “We provide user data to governments only in accordance with the law.”

Microsoft declined to provide immediate comment. Facebook, Yahoo, Apple and Cisco were not immediately available when Reuters sought comment by telephone and email.

Facebook is currently blocked by Chinese censors, but said last month it may open a sales office in China to provide more support to local advertisers who use the website to reach customers overseas.

ROCKY TIME

In December, Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, Yahoo and other Internet companies issued an open letter to U.S. President Barack Obama and Congress to reform and introduce restrictions on surveillance activities.

Even so, U.S. tech companies have had a rocky time in China since the NSA revelations. Just last month, central government offices were banned from installing Windows 8, Microsoft’s latest operating system, on new computers.

But the U.S. has responded with its own measures. In May, the U.S. Department of Justice charged five Chinese military officers with hacking U.S. companies to steal trade secrets.

The indictment sparked outrage in China and added urgency to Beijing’s efforts to promote the development of local information technology (IT) companies.

Chinese media called the United States “a high-level hooligan” and officials accused Washington of applying “double standards” on issues of cyber spying.

After the charges were announced, China said it will investigate providers of important IT products and services to protect “national security” and “economic and social development.”

For more on this story go to

http://www.moneynews.com/Economy/china-google-apple-tech-firms/2014/06/04/id/575073#ixzz345FZDieJ