China and US to test cyberthreat defences
Two sides agree to five guidelines covering internet-based threats, including theft of secrets and network intrusions, Washington says
China and the US have reached an agreement on testing their responses to cybersecurity threats following the conclusion of high-level talks in Washington, the US Department of Justice has said.
The drill was one of five specific outcomes of the two-day meeting attended by Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun and US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and US Attorney General Loretta Lynch, according to the department.
Experts cautioned however the agreement was only the start and significant hurdles remained.
Read more: China and US find common ground over cybersecurity disputes
As part of the deal, the two sides will conduct a “tabletop exercise” next spring to test how they react to different types of internet threats. They will then consider whether to hold a seminar that China has put forward on combatting terrorists’ use of technology and communication, and a US-initiative for an expert exchange on network protection.
Other guidelines dealt with cooperation in fighting the exploitation of children through the internet and theft of secrets, as well as joint agency efforts in network protection. Experts in that area from both sides were due to meet soon, the department said.
