Washington Post Added To The List Of Media Attacked By Chinese Hackers

Following on the heels of the New York Times, Bloomberg News, and the Wall Street Journal, sources have come forward to state that The Washington Post has also been hit by cyberattacks originating in China. The information was provided by individuals said to be familiar with the situation, including a former Post employee. The attacks were said to have occurred over the course of at least four years.

According to the sources, the attacks only began targeting the newsroom in 2012, during which time it was discovered that the computers were connecting to Chinese web servers. Beyond that, information about the matter is pretty scarce, since the Post did not make any official statements on the alleged attacks. One spokesperson stated that the company doesn't "have anything to share at this time."

American media companies are reported to have been under attack from China since 2008, a move on the aforementioned nation's part to keep an eye on coverage about the nation and its various happenings. Investigations by security agencies and companies have revealed that many journalists and news employees have had files, emails, and contacts nabbed by the hackers.

The journalists who have been targeted all seem to have something in common – some type of coverage or work pertaining to China, whether its a political investigation or opinion piece. When asked about the issue, secretary of state Hillary Clinton stated, "We have seen over the last years an increase in not only the hacking attempts on government institutions but also nongovernmental ones ... [the Chinese] are not the only people who are hacking us."

[via New York Times]