Re:Intel Warned Chinese Companies of Chip Flaws Before U.S. ...
by cryptonector on Monday January 29, 2018 @02:28AM
(#16255942)
There's a big difference between "gathered the communications" and "is aware of their contents". When you gather everything you merely have the potential to be aware of things you maybe should be aware of. Finding which needles in the stack of needles are of interest is difficult.
It is entirely possible that without being told neither government could have become aware of this in spite of having the communications that could make them aware if only someone read them. It's also entirely possible that the Chinese government became aware from being told by folks at those Chinese companies who received disclosures, and that the U.S. government wasn't. Eventually we might find out what the actual situation was.
From a purely legal and policy standpoint, the linked report is concerning. One would think that Intel ought to be aware of the national security implications of Meltdown/Spectre and should have alerted someone in the U.S. government, though they're probably not obligated to. And, of course, what if Intel had not be an American company?
It is entirely possible that without being told neither government could have become aware of this in spite of having the communications that could make them aware if only someone read them. It's also entirely possible that the Chinese government became aware from being told by folks at those Chinese companies who received disclosures, and that the U.S. government wasn't. Eventually we might find out what the actual situation was.
From a purely legal and policy standpoint, the linked report is concerning. One would think that Intel ought to be aware of the national security implications of Meltdown/Spectre and should have alerted someone in the U.S. government, though they're probably not obligated to. And, of course, what if Intel had not be an American company?