China mass blocks Apples iCloud and Microsoft's Live accounts.

[WelshDdraig]

Full article here: http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/20/7013409/china-is-staging-a-nationwide-attack-on-icloud

 

 

The Chinese Firewall is blocking all local connections to iCloud.com, redirecting those connections to a dummy site designed to look exactly like Apple's login Page

 

If the users are using Firefox or Chrome, They will get the pesky pop-up of "this site is not safe" (we have all encountered it at least once before), but on this instance, it's actually a good thing this popped up as un-secure, But bad news for those who run the most popular browser Qihoo...

 

But if you're using Qihoo, the most popular browser in China, you'll be routed straight to the dummy site with no indication that it's not being run by Apple

 

The login page looks identical to Apple's official page and users who didn't notice wouldn't be any the wiser.

 

It's not just Apple this is affecting either. It's also affecting Microsoft's Live account services as well such as OneDrive and Hotmail/outlook, (what ever they wish to call it)

 

According to the Verge most users can get around this false re-direction with the use of a VPN, but due to the censorship in China, this might not be possible as most VPN's are blocked, you can also access the real iCould website using one of Apples many ip addresses but because of the level this "attack" is being issued at, The Great Firewall, many lead to believe it is the government trying to access users data after the previous move by Apple to encrypt all of the users data.

 

Looks like China is not happy with Apples recent motives to keep users data private. Remind you of any one (*cough, FBI, cough*)

Although, I don't know why they are attempting to stop users from using Microsoft's Live services, because I thought MS was always compliant with Chinese laws.

[Sidiox]

Stupid move China......

This is quite a cheeky move, especially that rerouting, are I wonder what they will do with the passwords they get from people that login.....Surely not spying and tracking....

[Trik'Stari]

Anyone else not surprised by this?

[Zyphera]

Yeah it reminds me of USA's response to the idea of encrypting everything. Great minds think alike?

[Trik'Stari]

Yeah it reminds me of USA's response to the idea of encrypting everything. Great minds think alike?

Indeed.

 

TL;DR = Power hungry government is power hungry

[ComradeHX]

Yeah it reminds me of USA's response to the idea of encrypting everything. Great minds think alike?

Or maybe it's internet arms race of who has the most private data?

[qwertywarrior]

wow ......

 

why .... why would u use a Chinese based browser

use firefox and do NOT ignore the security warnings when visiting well known websites !

[zacRupnow]

This is for a bad reason but the effect is good; iCloud is terrible and not worth the trouble, but thats not the reason China is doing this.

[Đỗ Đức Huy]

This is sick, even though Google may mined our data for ad revenue which sucks but this browser hi jacking and redirecting is an other reasons why I will never use anything other than Chrome to browse the web. Not because indie devs sucks but because they're much easier to be pressured by the government *put on tin foil hat, cooperate America ISN'T THAT bad

[Tataffe]

Maybe they just want their own fappening, government induced.

[Tech_Dreamer]

if this was done by a shady organization or black hats they would be deemed  terrorists & unethical hackers & threat against society & individuals,

 

But since it's the government ...MEH.. it's all good..

[zanduh]

Is this to make people less angry when China rolls out the China OS for all computers and phones?

[Trik'Stari]

if this was done by a shady organization or black hats they would be deemed  terrorists & unethical hackers & threat against society & individuals,

 

But since it's the government ...MEH.. it's all good..

Exactly. Won't be surprised when our government tries to do the same thing. I'll even bet money on what they tell the public it's for

 

"we need to monitor and censor the internet for "hate speech", it's for the good of everyone!"

 

 

pfffff

[Shalashaska]

If Kim Dotcom's party someday make it into government in NZ I may move there.

[Tonylu1595]

Good job China. I applaud your moves for moving forward in security.

[brownninja97]

silly........willies

[Jerakl]

And people still complain about the NSA...

 

Atleast we know where they may get some of their ideas.

[Toddwjp]

corrupt goverments of the world can always unite on trying to fuck the common people

[Str_Mape]

If Kim Dotcom's party someday make it into government in NZ I may move there.

Never going to happen, best case scenario would be the greens getting more power.

[Kingofpants]

Why would you use a Browser made in China

[RuecanOnRails]

Censorship on the internet.

 

 

The Internet treats censorship as a malfunction and routes around it.