US Directly Accuses Chinese Government Of Cyberespionage

After months of suggesting that China is behind high-profile hacking attempts on businesses and the US government, the US has finally laied some blame for cyber attacks directly at the feet of the Chinese government and military. The Pentagon issued a report Monday making a more direct accusation of cyberespionage perpetrated by China than it's ever issued in the past.

The United States has long suggested that China is one of the top sources of cyber attack on the planet. China has continually denied these accusations. However, the new Pentagon report directly attributes some cyber attacks to the Chinese government and the Chinese military. The technologies that cyber attacks carried out by China target are designed to both benefit China's defense and technology industries and to give an insight into the thought process of US policymakers.

The report says that China is using cyber attacks to support intelligence collection against the United States' diplomatic, economic, and defense industrial base. Chinese officials have responded to the Pentagon report reiterating that the Chinese government opposes any form of cyberespionage. Chinese officials also said that the United States has a history of criticizing its "legitimate and normal defense building."

The report issued by the Pentagon also claims that China has deployed anti-ship cruise missiles on its naval vessels. Those anti-ship missiles pose a threat to American naval vessels according to the report. Defense analysts also say that the report shows China's military modernization is allowing it to expand its focus from Taiwan to the wider region in Asia.

[via Wall Street Journal]