Friday, Aug 22, 2025 // (IG): BB // GITHUB // SN R&D
China's Great Firewall Briefly Blocks All HTTPS Traffic on Port 443, Raising Global Concerns
Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF): China's Great Firewall (GFW) disrupted all internet traffic over TCP port 443—the default for HTTPS—for approximately 74 minutes. The cause remains unknown, but the anomaly raises serious questions about new censorship mechanisms or misconfigurations within the GFW infrastructure.
Analyst Comments: Port 443 is foundational to secure internet communication globally, and its blanket disruption—even briefly—signals China’s willingness to tamper with critical infrastructure for surveillance or control. If intentional, the move may preview future escalation in digital information suppression, particularly amid geopolitical tensions. The brief nature of the event and unconfirmed attribution to any known GFW device suggest testing or deploying new interception tools.
FROM THE MEDIA: A monitoring group known as GFW Report observed that China’s Great Firewall began injecting forged TCP RST+ACK packets to kill all connections on TCP port 443 for over an hour on August 20. This port is typically used for HTTPS, and the targeted disruption marked a departure from broader protocol-level censorship attempts seen in past incidents, such as efforts to block TLS 1.3. The group noted the responsible system did not match any previously identified GFW devices, indicating either a new device or an existing one operating in an unfamiliar mode. The sudden restoration of regular activity after 74 minutes has left analysts unsure whether the event was a test, a misconfiguration, or a deliberate show of control.
READ THE STORY: Toms Hardware
Global Readiness Needed as Quantum Era Approaches
Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF): Recent breakthroughs by IBM and Google suggest that full-scale quantum computers could emerge by the decade’s end, prompting urgent calls for governments and industries to prepare. The Financial Times editorial board warns that while timelines remain uncertain, the security, economic, and scientific disruptions posed by quantum computing are too significant to ignore.
Analyst Comments: As cryptographic standards face obsolescence, industries and governments must invest in quantum-safe algorithms and workforce development. The looming threat of “harvest now, decrypt later” campaigns means adversaries may already collect encrypted data to break once quantum capabilities mature. Even as AI grows more powerful, a symbiotic relationship with quantum computing could transform fields like pharma, defense, and finance. Preparation must move beyond academic research into operational readiness.
FROM THE MEDIA: Noting that companies like IBM and Google now aim to deliver full-scale quantum systems by 2030, the editorial outlines both the promise and peril of the technology. It warns that quantum machines could render encryption obsolete, threatening data privacy and national security. While experts remain divided on when such machines will become practical—Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang predicts decades, while others are more optimistic—the FT stresses that governments and businesses cannot afford complacency. Investment in post-quantum cryptography, algorithm development, and skilled labor must begin now to mitigate future disruptions.
READ THE STORY: FT
Moves to Block Nvidia’s H20 Chip After US Official's “Insulting” Remarks
Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF): Chinese regulators have informally instructed major tech firms to halt purchases of Nvidia’s China-specific H20 AI chips, following controversial remarks by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The comments, perceived as “insulting,” triggered coordinated regulatory pressure from agencies including the CAC, NDRC, and MIIT, escalating tensions in the ongoing US-China tech rivalry.
Analyst Comments: This incident underscores the fragility of commercial engagement in the face of rising techno-nationalism. China's informal restrictions on Nvidia signal a growing willingness to retaliate against perceived slights or strategic threats, even if it disrupts domestic AI development. While Beijing has long promoted chip self-sufficiency, this episode may accelerate enforced adoption of domestic alternatives like Huawei’s Ascend chips. However, the fact that guidance remains unofficial leaves a window for policy reversals if trade negotiations shift.
FROM THE MEDIA: Triggered by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s July 15 remarks — asserting that the US only allows China “addictive” but inferior chips — key Chinese agencies, including the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), acted swiftly to discourage purchases. ByteDance, Alibaba, and other firms reportedly paused H20 orders following informal "window guidance" and alleged security concerns raised by the CAC. Nvidia was summoned over unverified claims that its chips can be remotely disabled. These actions come despite previous warm signals from China’s commerce and foreign ministries toward Nvidia. Some companies are now waiting for access to Nvidia’s downgraded Blackwell chip, while others are increasingly accepting domestic chips for AI inference tasks.
READ THE STORY: FT
Trump Administration Weighs Diverting $2B in CHIPS Act Funds to Critical Minerals Projects
Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF): The Trump administration is considering reallocating $2 billion from the CHIPS Act—initially intended for semiconductor development—to support critical minerals projects. The move is part of a broader effort to reduce U.S. reliance on China for minerals essential to the electronics and defense sectors.
Analyst Comments: Minerals like gallium and germanium are crucial for chip production and secure communications, satellites, and defense systems. If implemented, this move may bolster domestic sourcing and reduce cyber risk associated with dependence on adversarial suppliers. However, diverting funds from semiconductor manufacturing may raise concerns about weakening America's edge in chip innovation—an industry already under pressure from global competition and nation-state cyber threats.
FROM THE MEDIA: This effort is led by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who is poised to gain increased authority over mineral funding decisions. The plan follows confusion triggered by the Pentagon’s recent investment in MP Materials and aims to centralize critical mineral policy. Although no details were given on whether funding would be grants or equity, sources say the administration is pressured to act quickly. The CHIPS Act, originally signed into law in 2022, has been central to reducing chip dependence on Asia, but Trump has criticized it as overly generous to corporations. Industry leaders like Albemarle have noted that domestic refining projects remain stalled without federal support.
READ THE STORY: Reuters
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