DailyTech - Chinese Government Accuses IEEE of Unfair WiFi Protocols

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IT Chinese Government Accuses IEEE of Unfair WiFi Protocols
Tuan Nguyen (Blog) - May 30, 2006 6:49 PM

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26 comment(s) - last by PandaBear.. on May 31 at 8:48 PM

ISO rejection sparks outrage over network encryption standards

Technology development in China has been gaining significant momentum in the last five years, and China is up to a level now that it can develop its own standards. One of those standards, is a technology called WAPI, which is used for encrypting data over wireless networks. The Chinese government has been trying to push for the new standard to be adopted by the ISO consortium but has been receiving very little in terms of success.

The Chinese government now claims that the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, or IEEE, engaged in a conspiracy to thwart the acceptance of WAPI. The IEEE developed the 802.11i standard, which is also used for encryption of data over wireless networks. Xinhua, a state-run news organization in China has reported that the IEEE violated global ISO standards in an effort to have 802.11i accepted over WAPI. Last week, the ISO group rejected China's WAPI in favor of IEEE's 802.11i standard.

In China, WAPI is still the preferred method for encryption and data security. China is hoping that WAPI will gain ISO recognition. If WAPI is accepted as part of an ISO standard, it would be good news for China, which is trying to gain more leg room in emerging technologies and developing new ones. China itself hopes to become one of the leading IT nations, not only for manufacturing but also design and engineering.

The report on Xinhua did not indicate exactly what the IEEE violated nor did it indicate how the violations were carried out. The report implied that the IEEE might have given false information to the ISO organization. DailyTech previously reported that Lenovo, which was in part a Chinese-owned enterprise, was under a fire from the US government because there was fear that using computers manufactured in China would pose a threat to US national security. Lenovo responded by saying that its systems comply to all US regulations and that it was being unfairly treated because of its association.

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Caution.

By Googer on 5/30/2006 9:25:07 PM , Rating: 1

Knowing how the Chineese Goverment is, there is a high likely hood of some type of back door that allows you to be monitored. If such a hole is discovered, it could be a heaven for hackers.

RE: Caution.

By Googer on 5/30/2006 9:25:53 PM , Rating: 1

I would be reluctant to trust any securtiy standard endorsed by the Chineese or any other communist goverment.

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RE: Caution.

By Merry on 5/30/06, Rating: -1

RE: Caution.

By TomZ on 5/30/2006 9:48:04 PM , Rating: 2

Please spare us your naive, polly-anna political views. The Chinese government is a real problem. Just looking at one dimension, human rights...

quote:
Limited legal and judicial reforms did little to improve human rights protection. Tens of thousands of people continued to be detained in violation of their human rights and were at risk of torture or ill-treatment. Thousands of people were sentenced to death or executed. The authorities frequently resorted to the use of force against growing social unrest. There was a renewed crackdown on the media and Internet controls were tightened. The Uighur community in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR) continued to face severe repression as part of the authorities’ “war on terror”. Freedom of expression and religion continued to be severely restricted in Tibet and other Tibetan areas. China’s arms sales to Sudan raised concerns that its actions were contributing to human rights violations in other countries. China continued a limited dialogue with selected members of the international community on human rights issues. However, human rights defenders at home continued to be arbitrarily detained and some were sentenced to prison terms.

http://web.amnesty.org/report2006/chn-summary-eng

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RE: Caution.

By dome1234 on 5/31/2006 3:54:03 AM , Rating: 1

how about US arm sale to saudi arabia? even kuwait? I'd say their human rights records are just as bad if not worse. At least women aren't been treated like cattles for sale.

The chinese side is wrong in crying conspiracy buff. Governmental influences are always on ngos. Their research simply aren't up to the bar and their information control isn't exactly giving ppl confidence.

At the end of the day, if the major players (companies) adopt one standard ngo or no ngo, it'll be adopted.

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RE: Caution.

By Merry on 5/31/2006 8:33:15 AM , Rating: 1

I wasnt refering to his commment on China, it was mainly the implication that all communists = bad, indeed 'democratic' nations, such as the US, appear to believe that they can take the Moral high ground as they are 'democratic' . I would hazard a guess that some of their behaviour is pretty bad, if not worse than that of some non democratic countries.

Obviously you didnt read into my comment well enough to answer my question properly.

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RE: Caution.

By nyarrgh on 5/30/2006 11:42:03 PM , Rating: 2

well... I would be VERY wary of any "encryption" standards coming out of a country where government snooping on its citizens is legal and accepted and even expected.

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RE: Caution.

By mechwarrior1989 on 5/30/2006 9:42:01 PM , Rating: 2

Yes because obviously the ISO would not see something like a backdoor built into such a standard.

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RE: Caution.

By cnimativ on 5/31/06, Rating: -1

RE: Caution.

By Scorpion on 5/31/2006 2:49:39 PM , Rating: 2

I don't disagree with accusations against Bush and Torture, however, what makes the USA different from China is the fact that we (so far) have a system in place to expose and punish those that violate the constitution and impede on human rights. Look at the Haditha coverup finally being exposed. In China that would never have happened. The press wouldn't be allowed to dig up a government cover-up like that.

Actually rereading what I just wrote compared with your accusations actually doesn't backup my arguement. Bush has violated the law and the Administration and Military continue to be unpunished for their policies on torture. This just proves that Bush is severely damaging America. Damnit wakeup people. Letting these idiots continue to poison the apathetic minds of America are causing us to lose any and all credibility in foreign affairs, not to mention the erosion of our civil liberties. We aren't using the systems we have in place that makes America, America.

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RE: Caution.

By Scorpion on 5/31/2006 2:51:24 PM , Rating: 2

That reply was to a different post. Something is broken with the comment system.

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Pot Calling the Kettle black

By Connoisseur on 5/30/2006 7:12:17 PM , Rating: 2

China refuses to accept American search engines unless they comply with Chinese restrictions. Now they're crying foul when ISO refuses to accept their technology.

RE: Pot Calling the Kettle black

By cnimativ on 5/30/2006 7:23:09 PM , Rating: 1

Google, Yahoo, Microsoft for those who bent over to the Chinese government because they all want a piece of the pie.

Chinese 3G wireless networks (TDM-CDMA or something) for them setting their own standards and the hardware guys bent over.

If China says Bush is black, every American business in China will say Bush is black.

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RE: Pot Calling the Kettle black

By yanon on 5/30/2006 7:27:08 PM , Rating: 2

The difference is that ISO ( International Organization for Standardization) is supposed to be a non-governmental organization, which promotes the development international standard, whereas each country has its own right to accept or reject the adoptation of an international standard in its domain. Therefore, I think that ISO can adopt the WAPI but other nations may not choose to use it.

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RE: Pot Calling the Kettle black

By cnimativ on 5/30/2006 7:30:33 PM , Rating: 1

Even if ISO passsed that standard, people will still have a choice between WAPI and .11i.

And it really doesn't matter if ISO pass WAPI or not, all the firms that want to participate in the Chinese market will have to make the WAPI devices/chips, including those located in US.

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RE: Pot Calling the Kettle black

By TomZ on 5/30/2006 10:06:45 PM , Rating: 3

Just to clarify, ISO is non-governmental, but still very political.

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RE: Pot Calling the Kettle black

By PandaBear on 5/31/2006 8:48:45 PM , Rating: 2

Yeah, because it is being honest to reject a standard who refuse to detail how it works, and may potentially include a backdoor.

Will Microsoft Windows be accepted as a Standard? I wouldn't bet on it for the same reason.

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merits of new standard

By mdbusa on 5/30/2006 9:54:04 PM , Rating: 2

Can anyone comment on the merits of Chinas standard-- Is it any better than the IEEE standard?

RE: merits of new standard

By White Widow on 5/30/2006 11:23:36 PM , Rating: 2

I have no particular love for the cruelties of the Chinese Communist government. However, I fail to see how their treatment of ethnic minorities has anything material to do with their porposed wireless standard. I mean really, c'mon people. It's not like they are trying to sell a blackbox chipset that they "swear" is secure. This is a STANDARD. The ISO can look this STANDARD over, backwards and forwards. More than likely it was found to be techincally lacking, and in order to save face the offical line is that they were treated unfairly. But even if this rejection by the ISO is based on misleading information by the IEEE, that still has NOTHING to do with China's system of government or some secret plant to create a OPEN security standard with a backdoor. Please leave your hyperbole at the door.

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RE: merits of new standard

By TomZ on 5/30/2006 11:42:35 PM , Rating: 3

If I understand the situation correctly, the Chinese are most upset because they already have this system deployed in China, and were hoping it would become an International Standard. Now, I suppose they have to consider the possibility of transitioning to this new standard.

But you have to give some merit to the theory that the Chinese, as inventors of their system, could have a certain advantage in being able to use it in some sort of spying scenario, if it was used internationally. The Chinese have been caught spying many times in the past. Who knows...

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And look who is writing the article

By sampatel on 5/31/06, Rating: 0

RE: And look who is writing the article

By shadowzz on 5/31/2006 1:41:50 AM , Rating: 3

quote:
by sampatel

A comment by an Indian national bashing a Vietnamese national while simultaneously bashing everyone in southeast asia for buying US press.

http://homepage.mac.com/howthedevil/.Pictures/tinf...

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RE: And look who is writing the article

By vxmqzz on 5/31/06, Rating: 0

Stolen

By Stoene on 5/31/2006 10:24:36 AM , Rating: 1

The technology behind their (Chinese) wireless network is probrably stolen anyway. IEEE would have been like the shadey pawn shop if it had chosen China's WAFI.