The European Union also blames China for hacking thousands of government agencies and companies through a leak in Microsoft’s e-mail software.
The hackers operated from China, the EU notes. At the very least, China is doing too little about it and is not taking its responsibility.
The attacks have caused “significant damage” to “government institutions, political organizations and key industries” in the EU and worldwide, EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell complained. The hackers would have been out for espionage and the theft of company secrets.
The perpetrators must be sought in hacker groups Advanced Persistent Threat 40 and 31, says Borrell. They work for or together with the Chinese security services, and it has been said for some time.
The computer break-ins are “contrary to the rules of responsible behaviour of countries”, the EU warns. “We continue to urge the Chinese authorities to abide by these rules, not allow malicious cyber activities on their territory and to take all appropriate measures.”
China should now make every effort to “map, investigate and address the issue,” the union said.