After reviewing articles from many sources in the media, I have compiled a list of certain  facts and figures regarding   the recent cyber attacks  from China and the subsequent stunning announcement from Google.   Some  of these are surprisingly under-reported  in the media so you may or may not know them.  Here they are in no specific order  :

1. Over 34 companies were targets of the attack and appear to have been carefully selected to be in industries in which China is lagging. Sources say that one aim of the attack was to steal high-tech information in strategic industries to give China a competitive economic edge.   For example,  the attacks on defense companies were  aimed to steal information on weapons systems. The attacks on  technology companies were mainly to get the  source code  of the companies flagship products.
2. Sources also say that the second aim of the  attacks was  to get  politically sensitive information to  ensure the survival of the regime.   This was stated by James A. Lewis, a cyber and national security expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. [Read more →]