The “China threat” is an incredibly hot topic in government and in the popular media. Information security companies have used the publicity to sell their services, and for the first time, hacking has taken center stage in American diplomatic policy. However, is China really a threat? If so, is the People’s Liberation Army really the worst adversary? As a hacker interested in China or a security researcher interested in profiling threats, where do you even begin? TProphet will share his perspectives based on three years of real-world experience living and working full-time in Beijing.
TProphet is a long-time phreak, writer and columnist for 2600: The Hacker Quarterly. His popular “Telecom Informer” column is widely considered to be one of the most influential voices in the phreaking community. He is also well-known for his involvement in the lighter side of the Defcon community, helping to organize both the “Queercon” event at Defcon and the famous Ninja parties. Until now, TProphet has kept his professional life separate from the hacker community. After working for three years in Beijing as the local IT manager for an American multinational company, TProphet left Beijing in February to pursue a master’s degree in Europe. His non-compete agreement has now expired, and he expects to graduate in early 2014.