China’s capacity to wreak havoc in cyberspace September 13, 2007
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Cybersecurity
Alarm grows over China’s apparent capacity to wreak havoc in cyberspace
THE West’s military and government computers are attacked every millisecond. America’s State Department, for one, says its networks are probed about 2m times a day. The culprits may be computer geeks, vandals or bored teenagers. Of late, though, some of the most bold, even brazen, attacks are being blamed on the Chinese authorities.
Last May Chinese spy software was discovered in computers in the office of the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, and other ministries. According to one report the so-called Trojan Horse programme (attached to a seemingly innocuous electronic file) was siphoning off 160 gigabytes of information when it was stopped. German officials suspect that China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was responsible.
This week it emerged that a similar Trojan Horse penetrated computers in the office of America’s defence secretary, Robert Gates, in June. The Pentagon says only an “unclassified” e-mail system was breached, and has not identified the suspects. Pentagon officials, though, are convinced the PLA was behind the attack.
In response to German criticism, the Chinese authorities last month promised, unusually, to fight the common scourge of hackers. This week, however, China’s foreign ministry denied any involvement in the cyberattack on the Pentagon. Any claim to the contrary, it said, was the product of “a cold war mentality”.
America’s military planners worry that China is using cyberspace not just for espionage but to prepare a future hot war, say over Taiwan. A recent Pentagon report said Chinese military exercises include launching a “first strike” attack on enemy computers, presumably to cripple America’s highly networked military operations or, worse, disrupt civilian life there.
Achieving “electromagnetic dominance” early in a conflict, says the report, is seen by the PLA as an important means by which the weaker Chinese forces could defeat the stronger American ones. Other “asymmetric” means would include trying to cripple America’s military and communications satellites, as demonstrated last January with a missile test that blasted an old Chinese weather satellite.
General James Cartwright, recently promoted from head of Strategic Command to vice-chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said in June that China was carrying out widespread “reconnaissance” of America’s networks. This allowed China to steal advanced know-how, so as to skip generations in military and civil technology. A cyberspy can potentially steal much more information than a human one. Others argue that China wants to send a signal to America that a future war would be costly, and would not be limited to the Straits of Taiwan.
The Pentagon is probably better able to protect itself against cyberattacks than most. But in an increasingly internet-connected world, civilian life has become more vulnerable. Earlier this year suspected Russian hackers attacked the websites of ministries, banks and other bodies in Estonia, the tiny but highly-wired Baltic state that had offended the Kremlin by removing a Soviet war monument from the centre of the capital, Tallinn, to a military cemetery. The “denial of service” attack was crude, but disruptive.
Past American exercises to test the computer defences of critical services (such as electricity grids) have found that, without detailed inside information, an external cyberattack would be more disruptive than catastrophic. That assessment may be changing. The psychological effect of a cyberattack on America, in General Cartwright’s view, could be as severe as the use of weapons of mass destruction.
Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook is being touted as the new Steve Jobs September 6, 2007
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Please read this article Face value on Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook
and refect on the mapmaking.
“These innovative uses of the social graph are, in Mr Zuckerberg’s mind, the precise analogy to the trade routes that were found once the ancient mapmakers had done their part.”
Syllabus: COM_International Communication_Fall_2007 September 6, 2007
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AL AKHAWAYN UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
COMMUNICATION STUDIES
Version 1.0
(Last Updated 3 September 2007)[1]
CONTACT DETAILS:
Class time: TR 08.00 to 09.20
Class place: 4/101
First class Tuesday 30 August 2007
Last class Monday 10 December 2007
Total 30 classes
Supervisor: Mohammed Ibahrine
Office: Building 6, Room 9
Tel.: (212) 0 35 86 24 42
Email: globalcommunicationauifall2007@googlemail.com
OFFICE HOURS: Monday: 09.00 – 12.00
Monday: 13.00 – 15.30
Tuesday: 09.30 – 10.15
Wednesday: 09.00 – 12.00
Wednesday: 13.00 – 15.30
Thursday: 09.30 – 10.15
Friday: 09.00-12.00 by appointment
COURSE SYNOPSIS
The course examines the major issues in global communication through analyses of international news and information flows, media imports/exports, privatization and globalization within communications industries and the various models of global media systems. Students will evaluate the social and economic impacts of ICTs, the shifting relationships between developed and developing countries, and the socio-economic trends associated with globalisation of media, and explore concepts such as nationalism, regionalism, globalization, and cultural identity.
THE AIM OF THE COURSE
The aim of the course is to introduce students to the main concepts, theories, practice and controversies of the history and modern state international communication. The overall objective of this course is to develop the knowledge for understanding and critically assessing the role of global communication, especially in the international relations, diplomacy, international business and intercultural relations.
THE COURSE DESCRIPTION
The course presents a comprehensive examination of significant economic, cultural, legal, social, and political issues in the exciting field of global communication. The course also offers the examination of history, theories and future trends from diverse perspectives such as mass media, journalism, and international business, international relations and international studies.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
The lecturer will follow lectures and seminars format. The student’s participation in class and seminar discussions is expected and encouraged and will be considered in final course evaluations (20%). Broad understanding of participation includes the preparation of outline before the class and a detailed content outline after the class, the maintenance of a blog and contribution to the Wikipeida. Students should also be prepared, during each class session, to discuss current media events and news as they relate to the subject. Each student has to present two required chapters of the textbook (25%) and one research paper (20%). Video production is highly encouraged. Six tutorial quizzes (12%), mid term exam (10%) and final exam (13%). The deadline for the paper is October, 30th 2007.
One of the major requirements for this course-seminar is a term paper. It should be from 2500-3,000 words, excluding notes and references. It should be typed, double-spaced with one inch margins, 12-point font, and consistently adhere to an accepted style. The papers will be presented in class, prior to the final session, and discussed from time to time throughout the term. The paper could take the form of a proposal for future capstone.
The research paper should be based on desk research, conducted in the library and over the Internet, including the readings central to this course. However, students should move beyond this base, where feasible in the context of a one semester course. For example, they might include a limited number of interviews, a pretest or pilot of a survey or questionnaire, secondary analysis of an existing database, content analysis, direct observations, participant observation, ethnography or other approaches that involve you directly in researching your topic.
ACADEMIC HONESTY:
If you expect others to respect you, please respect yourself. So if you feel desperate, don’t make things worse by acting out of desperation: please come and talk to me about your problems before you do anything foolish. We will find a way. Office hours are of great value for intellectual and educational exchange, please respect the office hours. This is useful for the professionalism.
Please note that the intellectual involvement in the co-creation process of the lecture (attendance + participation) has the lion’s share of this class’s grade. And since there is no class participation without attendance; attendance is highly encouraged to increase your grade. The university’s new attendance policy will be enforced in this class.
READINGS:
Do the readings before class and come to class. You will come to class having completed the assigned readings and participate fully in class discussion. I expect you to be a fully contributing member of the class by being prepared, taking responsibility for having productive discussions, helping yourself and others understand the material, and generating interesting ideas. I want to avoid the “professors teach, students learn” view of this enterprise.
Please note: The course requires a minimum of 8-10 hours of outside work per week (e.g., reading, analysis, group meetings, writing assignments).
REQUIRED READINGS
There are Two sources of reading for this course: one textbook.
. (2007). Global Communication, (2nd Edition)
Larry A. Samovar, Richard, E. Porter & Edwin R. McDaniel. (2006). Intercultural Communication, A Reader, (Eleventh Edition) (Three brief chapters)
[1] This syllabus is subject to change if necessary.
Dr. Mohammed Ibahrine COM-2303 International Communication@AUI, Fall 2007 September 6, 2007
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Dear students:
This is my third experience with blogging for higher education. I would like to thank my students, who attended my last Summer international Communication class. The class was a success story. (see blog).
I hope that my current students will help to do better than the last Summer class.
Good luck.
Hello world! September 6, 2007
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