China claims 'increase in cyber attacks from bases overseas'

Beijing, Mar 20 (ANI): There has been a massive increase in cyber attacks on China from 'foreign hackers,' a report from the country's online security group has claimed.

The report by China's National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team and Coordination Center claimed that cyber attacks on the country launched from bases overseas surged in 2011, rising to 8.9 million computers affected from 5 million the previous year.

It said Japan was the source of most attacks, 22.8 percent, followed closely by the United States, 20.4 percent, and the Republic of Korea, 7.1 percent, Xinhua reports.

The report found that 11,851 Internet protocol addresses based overseas had controlled 10,593 Chinese websites last year.

It showed that attacks included destroying servers, distorting website content and stealing personal data from Chinese Web users, the report said.

Wang Minghua, deputy director of the team's operation department, said that overseas hackers altered the content of 1,116 Chinese websites, including 404 run by government agencies, and added that they may have been responsible for many more, as the addresses and names they use are often difficult to trace.

Zhou Yonglin, director of the team's operation department, pointed out that 'money is not the sole motivation', as in several cases the hackers had intended to access State networks and steal confidential information. (ANI)