The Wall Street Journal this week announced IBM has become the first comapny to let China have its software for "examination" required under their new rules on "counter terror". We should be asking a lot more questions of IBM, since the rule requires source code be turned over. IF they did turn over source code, we would be hard pressed to use any of that software in our government systems.
Source code gives the Chinese full power to retool that software to look like the orginal but do more - specifically things we do not want it to do. It is bad enough that much of our software is made in China, where an edict from the Central Government can produce a change like the Green Dam that will monitor every citizen's computer. They make software for China that makes monitoring easier for China. Are we assuming they don't use that same software outside of China? Bad assumption.
The Chinese are good at doing what has shown up in Apple software of late - undermining the basic development and distribution channels of software. The development software used by Guangzhou Youmi Mobile Technology Company (aka Youmi) contained code that allowed personal data to be collected, sometimes without the knowledge of the developer. Youmi apologized for that, so I guess we are supposed to forgive and forget. Apple removed two sets of software since September and Youmi's was one of them.
We can look at this as an accident of development, but two is enough to show intent. Chinese intelligence services are undermining the basic development channels of their own software so it collects data from anyone they want to monitor. China says it is for the user's own good. They will be happier knowing their software is being looked at by the government and potential terrorists (meaning anyone the government does not agree with, but especially Taiwan, Hong Kong, and certain religious groups like the Uighurs). Why should we be allowed to help them?
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