China Accused of Hacking Computers on Capitol Hill

On Wednesday, Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) introduced a resolution on the House floor calling for greater protection of congressional computer and information systems.
As part of that resolution, he said four computers in his office had been hacked, along with computers used by other Congress members and by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He identified the culprit as the People's Republic of China.
Wolf said his foreign-policy and human-rights staff person's computer was attacked first, then the computers of his chief of staff, his legislative director, and his judiciary staff person. Information about all the work he has done on behalf of political dissidents and human-rights activists around the world were stored on the computers. That kind of information, as well as everything else on his office computers -- e-mails, memos, correspondence and district casework -- became open to outside eyes, he said.
"I am aware that computers in the offices of several other members were similarly compromised, as well as a major committee of the House -- the Foreign Affairs Committee," Wolf told the speaker of the House. "It is logical to assume that critical and sensitive information about U.S. foreign policy and the work of Congress to help people who are suffering around the world was also open to view from these official computers."
China's U.S. Espionage
In subsequent meetings with House IT and FBI officials, it was revealed that the attacks came from within the People's Republic of China. According to Wolf's testimony, these cyberattacks probed his system's defenses and viewed and copied information. Wolf suspects he was targeted because of his history of speaking out about China's human-rights record.
"I have also learned that this threat exists not only here in the Capitol complex, but also when members travel overseas," Wolf said. "I have been told that, particularly in countries in which access to information is tightly controlled by the government, members are at risk of having their conversations and information recorded or stolen from their cell phones and Blackberry devices."
Wolf said China is actively engaged in espionage against the U.S., and suggested the Senate could also be at risk and that the committees in both chambers on Government Reform, Intelligence, Judiciary, Armed Services, and Homeland Security should have hearings on this threat.
China's Denial
"According to the Business Week article, in 2007 the U.S. government launched a classified operation called 'Byzantine Foothold' to combat sophisticated new attacks that were compromising sensitive information at the State Department and at defense contractors such as Boeing, the source of which U.S. officials allege is China," Wolf said.
Chinese officials, however, deny hacking computers on Capitol Hill. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Qin Gang told a news conference that China is not capable of such attacks.
"Is there any evidence?" he asked. "Do we have such advanced technology? Even I don't believe it. ... I'd like to urge some people in the U.S. not to be paranoid. They should do more to contribute to mutual understanding, trust and friendship between the U.S. and China."
But Wolf doesn't appear ready to accept Gang's denial. Wolf pointed to British Parliament member William Wilberforce, speaking to his colleagues about the slave trade in 1789. Wilberforce said, "Having heard all this, you may choose to look the other way, but you can never again say that you do not know."
"We cannot afford to look the other way when foreign sources are threatening to compromise our government institutions, our economy, our very way of life through cyber espionage," Wolf said. "We cannot sit by and watch."

By Jennifer LeClaire
June 12, 2008 10:28AM

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