Officials within the United States government say hackers from China have renewed their assault on US targets only three months after a highly-touted investigation linked the People’s Liberation Army to a series of cyber-attacks waged at American entities.
According to the New York Times, computer security experts and US officials alike say the PLA’s sophisticated cyber squadron is attempting to hack American businesses after a brief hiatus.
“In 2012, numerous computer systems around the world, including those owned by the US government, continued to be targeted for intrusions, some of which appear to be attributable directly to the Chinese government and military,” the Pentagon wrote.
Obama administration officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, did not react in disbelief. One senior official that spoke to the Times said, “This is something we are going to have to come back at time and again with the Chinese leadership,” who, he added, “have to be convinced there is a real cost to this kind of activity.”
So far, though, the Chinese have largely refused to buy into the claims that a top-secret PLA group is orchestrating some of the most serious cyber-attacks ever waged at American entities. It was nearly one month after the February Mandiant report was released when Premier Li Keqiang called the claims “groundless accusations” and impractical.
Hacking is a “worldwide problem and in fact China itself is a main victim of such attacks,” Li said in March. “China does not support — in fact it is opposed to – – hacking attacks.”
So far, though, the Chinese have largely refused to buy into the claims that a top-secret PLA group is orchestrating some of the most serious cyber-attacks ever waged at American entities. It was nearly one month after the February Mandiant report was released when Premier Li Keqiang called the claims “groundless accusations” and impractical.
Hacking is a “worldwide problem and in fact China itself is a main victim of such attacks,” Li said in March. “China does not support — in fact it is opposed to – – hacking attacks.”
