Lets not forget this wasnt an easy thing for github to handle. Their service still isnt running at 100% normal. Not to mention the cost burden they're currently dealing with.
Was there any doubt about China's ability to blast sites much bigger than Github off the internet to begin with?
They're the second largest economy in the world. They don't need to play painfully obvious MITM tricks on their own infrastructure to carry out an attack - which then doesn't even have enough oomph to make a dent on a large but probably not particularly hardened site.
Lets not forget this wasnt an easy thing for github to handle.
That doesn't change the message that this random, half-assed neck-slap sends.
If this was really done by Chinese authorities and if I was a Chinese dissident then I'd be thrilled rather than chilled. Who knew keeping my stuff online could be as easy as uploading it to Github!
Do you really think anyone concerned with these things (activists, VPN providers, companies doing business with China) needed a half-assed, unsuccessful Github attack as a "deterrent signal"?
Interestingly, this also gives China more bargaining power in its negotiations with the US about "cyber" issues
Why would the US Government be concerned about "chinese attackers" that apparently can't even take out a civilian top100 website?
Interestingly, this also gives China more bargaining power in its negotiations with the US about "cyber" issues
You mean they will offer to stop "pretend attacking" american companies, and the US will then make concessions out of gratitude?
Github is up and running after all. Both targeted projects are online:
Looks like if you want to mess with China then all you have to do is put your material on Github. You think that is the lesson China wanted to teach the world?