# NYSE Shuts Down(Chinese Cyberattack): How To Respond? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 16, 2011, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyse-shuts-down-chinese-cyberattack-how-to-respond/603101 "2011-11-16T08:39:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyse-shuts-down-chinese-cyberattack-how-to-respond/603101/1 "2011-11-16T08:39:35Z")
Suppose that one day, the NYSE shuts down-no orders can be placed, and traders find that their information is wiped out-blue screens everywhere. This is later traced to a hacker in China. Later analysis points to the Chinese government. When confronted with the evidence, the Chinese say something like “this was the act of a mentally disturbed person, the Government of China has no responsibility for the matter.” What would the US do in such a case? How do you “retaliate” in a “cyber war” situation? This happens again-losses at the NYSE now exceed $100 billion-what would the US do? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyse-shuts-down-chinese-cyberattack-how-to-respond/603101/2 "2011-11-16T09:45:26Z")
There are various diplomatic and economic sanctions that the American government can take against China that fall short of war. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyse-shuts-down-chinese-cyberattack-how-to-respond/603101/3 "2011-11-16T09:59:27Z")
What is the Chinese government’s motivation to economically sabotage its biggest and most important trading partner? ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyse-shuts-down-chinese-cyberattack-how-to-respond/603101/4 "2011-11-16T10:38:37Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Suppose that one day, the NYSE shuts down-no orders can be placed, and traders find that their information is wiped out-blue screens everywhere. > This is later traced to a hacker in China. > Later analysis points to the Chinese government. > When confronted with the evidence, the Chinese say something like “this was the act of a mentally disturbed person, the Government of China has no responsibility for the matter.” > What would the US do in such a case? > How do you “retaliate” in a “cyber war” situation? > This happens again-losses at the NYSE now exceed $100 billion-what would the US do? This may be a stupid question - but why would the losses exceed 100 billion? the companies are still there right? Factories are still producing - shares can’t change hands though ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyse-shuts-down-chinese-cyberattack-how-to-respond/603101/5 "2011-11-16T16:48:35Z")
There are some who believe World War III has already begun. It’s cyber warfare and the two principal combatants are China and the USA. Possibly Russia as well. Any “attack” on the NYSE is just one in a long list of attacks that have been going on for quite some time. [Others think we’re not there yet](http://news.sky.com/home/technology/article/16101158). ---
**Author:** ![Trom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Trom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trom)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyse-shuts-down-chinese-cyberattack-how-to-respond/603101/6 "2011-11-16T17:23:56Z")
The NYSE could stop trading and the stock market would be fine. There are enough other trading networks to facilitate trade. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_The\_Diver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Buck\_The\_Diver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_The_Diver)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyse-shuts-down-chinese-cyberattack-how-to-respond/603101/7 "2011-11-16T23:52:45Z")
Tom Clancy has your answer. > **[Debt of Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debt_of_Honor)** > > Debt of Honor is a techno-thriller novel, written by Tom Clancy and released on August 17, 1994. A direct sequel to The Sum of All Fears (1991), Jack Ryan becomes the National Security Advisor when a secret cabal of Japanese industrialists seize control of their country’s government and wage war on the United States. The book debuted at number one on The New York Times bestseller list. The novel was later noted as containing plot elements which were similar to the circumstances of the Septembe ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2011, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyse-shuts-down-chinese-cyberattack-how-to-respond/603101/8 "2011-11-17T00:52:16Z")
I think the losses you are speculating about are absurdly high assuming there was only a temporary shut down. That said, I would imagine the US would first ask China to pay restitution. Then they would escalate it, if necessary, in a slow and prudent manner. Going into a real war would not be an option for something like this, especially since the US can engage in cyber war as good as the next guy if need be. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2011, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyse-shuts-down-chinese-cyberattack-how-to-respond/603101/9 "2011-11-17T05:22:59Z")
Manipulating the NYSE might be just a parlor trick when you consider: > [@](#): > > On at least two occasions, hackers have taken over U.S. satellites and targeted their command-and-control systems, a [report](http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/SIG=12kuj7e1m/EXP=1322716694/**http%3A//www.uscc.gov/annual_report/2011/annual_report_full_11.pdf) by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission revealed today. The incidents involved two Earth observation satellites. While it may be difficult to trace who hacked the satellites, U.S. officials acknowledged the incidents had to come from a nation power. > > – snip – > > The report noted that some of the malicious cyber activity targeting the satellites involved NASA’s Terra EOS satellite being targeted in June 2008 and again in October 2008. The June incident resulted in the satellite being interfered with for two minutes and the October incident lasted at least nine minutes. The report noted that in both instances, “The responsible party achieved all steps required to command the satellite but did not issue commands.” [Yahoo News: Latest and Breaking News, Headlines, Live Updates, and More](http://news.yahoo.com/us-satellites-compromised-malicious-cyber-activity-011210503.html)