Google Hacked by China-based attackers

Recently Google reported that China-based hackers breached its security, and that of many other foreign companies in a variety of sectors, including finance, technology, media and chemicals.

It seems the attacks were aimed at accessing Gmail accounts of human rights activists, and stealing other intellectual property.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on China "for an explanation" of Google's allegations. She also stated that "The ability to operate with confidence in cyberspace is critical in a modern society and economy."

For years China has pressured companies to accommodate them. Before entering the China market in 2005 Google had to agree to censor its search results for Google.cn.

Now however Google threatens to completely withdraw from China because of censorship and cyber-spying.

A senior Microsoft Corp. executive said that "Google would do disservice to Chinese people" by leaving China because Google censors its Chinese search results less aggressively than Chinese local competitor Baidu and other Chinese portal companies. A pullout by Google would strip Chinese Internet users of a good alternative, the executive said.

In any event this will cause more people to be aware of the censorship problem in China. Maybe this will even promote change, "Yes we can".