China has been hacking American IP again
It’s reportedly been happening since before Trump targeted tariffs at the nation.
Backstory: China is responsible for as much as 80 percent of all intellectual-property theft against US companies, according to the US Commission on Intellectual Property Theft. In 2015, China agreed to stop hacking the US for trade secrets. Until then, IP theft cost the US economy $300 billion a year. More recently, Trump placed tariffs on many imports to punish China for stealing American tech know-how.
The news: Axios reports that new security research shows China expanded state-sanctioned hacking for US patents and other trade secrets throughout 2017, targeting tech companies, law firms, and medical manufacturers, among others.
Why it matters: It was thought Trump’s tariffs on Chinese imports would heighten US-China tensions, potentially starting a trade war and causing China to steal more American secrets than ever. The latter may have already happened.
Keep Reading
Most Popular
Geoffrey Hinton tells us why he’s now scared of the tech he helped build
“I have suddenly switched my views on whether these things are going to be more intelligent than us.”
ChatGPT is going to change education, not destroy it
The narrative around cheating students doesn’t tell the whole story. Meet the teachers who think generative AI could actually make learning better.
Meet the people who use Notion to plan their whole lives
The workplace tool’s appeal extends far beyond organizing work projects. Many users find it’s just as useful for managing their free time.
Learning to code isn’t enough
Historically, learn-to-code efforts have provided opportunities for the few, but new efforts are aiming to be inclusive.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.