Monday 31 October 2011

China could do Kargil on India

China could do a Kargil on India "to teach India a lesson", warned strategic affairs think-tank IDSA, adding it could be a "limited war".

The limited hostilities could be confined to a specific section of the border, limited in duration and amenable to a negotiated termination, the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) said in its report.

Projecting conflict scenarios between the two Asian giants, a report titled 'A Consideration of Sino Indian Conflict' by Ali Ahmed said, "The lower end of the conflict at this level could be a Kargil-like situation. China's aim could be to teach India a lesson so as to influence India's rise before its capacity building underway acquires traction."

The report warned this "could be a limited war confined to a specific section of the border or LAC, limited in duration and amenable to a negotiated termination".

The Kargil hostilities were triggered by infiltration of Pakistani soldiers and Kashmiri militants into positions on the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC) in 1999.

Ahmed warns at a higher level, China could indulge in a "territorial grab" by entering an area such as Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.

"At the next rung, it could be a more ambitious bid southwards up to its claim line. Lateral or horizontal expansion of conflict from one theatre to another is the next step, with the conflict engulfing one or more of the four possible theatres -- Ladakh, Central Sector, Sikkim and Arunachal," the report said.

The think-tank said in view of India becoming better prepared in future with its capability-development programmes, it could engage China's "hegemonic attention."

"Since India would be better prepared by then, China may instead wish to set India back now by a preventive war. This means current day preparedness is as essential as preparation for the future," it said.

Saturday 29 October 2011

Report On Capability Of Peoples Republic Of China To Conduct Cyber Warfare

Following is a report presented to the US congress on the activities and the capabilities of the Chinese army in using cyber war as a tool of war.

NorthropGrumman PRC Cyber Paper FINAL Approved Report 16Oct2009

Chinese Hackers Control NASA Satellite

Chinese official e-terrorist "achieved all steps required to command" a NASA satellite, which put the satellite at risk of being controlled by these e-terrorists or destroyed or damaged, according to a draft report by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

The Terra EOS AM-1 satellite, used to study climate and environmental changes, experienced nine or more minutes of interference in October 2008, according to the draft report, obtained by Defense News.

The report clearly mentions that the techniques used by these hackers were consistent with the Chinese Military Hackers technique thus leaving no doubt in anybody's mind as to where these attacks originated.

NASA spokesman Trent Perrotto confirmed that there was a "suspicious event" with the spacecraft in the summer and fall of 2008, but no data was manipulated. He confirmed that initial investigation show that no command was sent to the satellite but until further investigation are complete it will be difficult to tell what damage the Chinese have inflicted on the satellite.

The draft report noted that hackers did not issue commands to the satellite, but the interference "poses numerous potential threats."

For example:

■ Access to a satellite's controls could allow an attacker to damage or destroy the satellite.

■ The attacker could deny or manipulate the satellite's transmission.

■ An attacker could reveal the satellite's capabilities or information, such as imagery, gained through its sensors.

The U.S. Geological Survey was also a victim of cyber attacks, the report said.

In 2007 and 2008, a USGS satellite called the Landsat-7 experienced 12 or more minutes of interference, according to the report.

"The satellite continued its normal operations," USGS' Jon Campbell said, in reference to the 2007 incident. "There was no interruption of what the satellite would do normally."