China hacked Unisys computer systems in 2006. Unisys was using these systems to support a Dept of Homeland Security contract maintaining all computer systems for TSA and DHS.
Unisys found out about it after 6 months and didn’t report it for 3 years. DHS rewarded Unisys by awarding portions of the same contract to them a couple years later. The head of TSA IT security then went to work for...wait for it....Unisys.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/23/AR2007092301471.html
The Chinese know more about our govt and commercial IT systems then we do. They know what we are doing and how we are doing it. I have customers who’ve watched someone from a Chinese IP address change security settings in their systems, and change them back after my customer tried to fix.
The real issue here is our govt is spying on Americans with a greater focus and tenacity then they are using for our enemies. They know when you log in to your computer. They know when you receive an email. They know everything you type, everything you read, where you spend money, and who you talk too. They don’t have a warrant for any of this information.
Do you understand how contemptible that is?
I understand that if people freely offer up personal information to third parties, they can't really expect that no one will use that information.
If you do not want your data available, then you're going to have to do the work to conceal it.