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Oz parliamentary network breached

Unidentified finger points uncertainly at China

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In a security breach that presumably now has Chinese spies trawling through the kind of letters MPs do their best to deflect or ignore, the Australian Parliament House network has been invaded.

The network is not rated as suitable for “sensitive” communications. According to News Limited, Australian government officials were alerted to the breach by US intelligence, who also seem to have pointed the finger at China as the source of the attack.

The Australian government has refused to confirm or deny the breach, nor did it confirm to News whether or not ASIO would launch an immediate investigation into the incident.

The News report says the attack has compromised the email accounts of ten federal ministers, including the PM, providing access to “thousands” of emails.

Just last week, the Australian National Audit Office criticised the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet for allowing access to webmail services such as Gmail and Hotmail from government computers. ®

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I know how it happened

[US] She stole my stuff! I want it back!

[Moderator] Who did? What did she steal

[US] China, she stole my stuff!

[Moderator] What stuff?

[US] My stuff, my netowork!

[China] But I found it! It was just laying around!

[Moderator] Can I have a look at what you have.

China slowly, reluctantly, shows what it has stashed behind her back.

[US] See she stoles it, give it back...

[Moderator] Hang on this isn't yours.

Scene shifts to a little kid playing with himself [Australia], god what an embrassment.

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Whenever I read a story on Aussie politicos

I'm always reminded of the Fourecksian politicians in Pratchett's pseudo Australian alternative described in "The Last Continent". As soon as they are elected, they are thrown in prison - "What dya mean, what for?"

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Just maybe.....

The Chinese are thinking of implementing Democracy and are having a long, hard look at the really serious cockups this can cause to ensure a smooth transition?

If that's true:

We'll be next, then the US and they'll ignore the EU as it's exactly like what they've got now, but doesn't work as well.

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