By: Bob Sadinsky

Bob Sadinsky — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:55:11 +0000

Barr,
The Us no longer manufactures many goods. Despite the billions of semiconductor chips that are consumed here,they are made mostly in China. It has emerged that there is a problem in the new electronic voting machines. It is possible to put a backdoor key into the systems that only the manufacturer or someone they choose to let in on the secret, knows about and can use. Using the backdoor key someone can go into the open system and flip votes without detection. This has been known and talked about as a problem with the evote machines for years. Suppose there is a way to do this with semiconductor chips. Can't be done you say,well technology marches on. Say someone finds a way to put a backdoor into a chip to disable it or take control of it.. The US cannot come close to matching the armed bodies that China can muster on the battlefield. US strategy is to rely on complex weapons systems that are powered by semiconductors,mostly made in China. Suppose Chinese chip makers figure out how to get into the chips and disable them or turn them off. Our weapons would be useless,our communications would be useless,our military and or critical infrastructure systems would be shutdown. Can this happen. Yes,the next world war may not be fought with weapons ,or drones ,or robots. It will be a cyber war,fought by destroying the other side's cyber capability.
The US MSN news from time to time talks of unknown attacks of Denial of Service and of hacking into Government and Defense Systems. They may be harmless hackers,.. They may be probes by foreign military cyber divisions.The US may build Super Duper weapons systems but they are powered and controlled by chips made in China. If China finds a way to turn them off,..it's over. I know how paranoid it sounds. Suppose in a less paranoid scenario,the weapons work and say we are in a confrontation with China or, say one that China is not happy with. So,the war drags on and weapons are destroyed and consumed. The generals call for more weapons to replace the destroyed and used up stuff. The order goes out for x number of chips for x number of weapons. The orders cannot be filled domestically. The Fabs are in China.
It could be as simple as China's desire for Taiwan. China could take control like in Hong Kong or refuse to simply supply our needed chips,never mind disable them.
As long as they need our market for consumption of their goods,it won't happen. But,the day when the emerging markets,like China itself can buy all those goods they produce,is coming. The billions of consumers in the emerging market,won't need us forever. They have time to find out how to disable us by cyberattack. Is there any indication the US takes the threat seriously enough to defend,or will there be a Cyber Pearl Harbor.
I can't believe how paranoid it sounds,but I clearly see a threat. Our generals at the pentagon are just boys with toys. Expensive toys to fight who. A defense model that enriches them and is always fighting the last war. the cold war is over. They have to look at fighting a cyber war. If they can't manufacture their own chips domestically,then they are vuknerable at the very least to disruption of supply and at worst,to total incapacitation.

By: Popeye

Popeye — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:13:49 +0000

Hate to say it but Health Care is kicking a dead horse. Looks like financial reform will be as mushy as oatmeal.Popeye

Comments on: A Deep Dark Hole

By: Bob Sadinsky

By: Popeye