China's computers hacked by US to attack Russia, Ukraine, Belarus - report

The report was made by Chinese state media and citing the technical center leading efforts to prevent and detect cybersecurity threats to the country.

 Cyber attack (photo credit: INGIMAGE)
Cyber attack
(photo credit: INGIMAGE)

China has since February faced continuous cyberattacks in which overseas actors took control of computers in the country to target Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, with most of the attacks originated in the United States, state news agency Xinhua said.

Xinhua cited the National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team/Coordination Center of China, a non-profit NGO cybersecurity technical center that leads efforts to prevent and detect cybersecurity threats to the country.

"Monitoring by the CNCERT/CC found that since late February, China's internet has continuously faced cyberattacks from abroad. These overseas groups attacked by taking control of computers in the country to carry out cyberattacks on Russia, Ukraine and Belarus," it quoted the center as saying.

"After analysis, most the addresses for these attacks came from the United States," it said, adding that a few came from other countries such as Germany and the Netherlands.

Cyberattacks have been a major point of tension between the United States and its allies and China, as the former have accused Beijing of carrying out a global cyberespionage campaign.

 People pose in front of a display showing the word 'cyber' in binary code, in this picture illustration taken in Zenica December 27, 2014. Picture taken December 27, 2014. (credit: REUTERS/DADO RUVIC/FILE PHOTO)
People pose in front of a display showing the word 'cyber' in binary code, in this picture illustration taken in Zenica December 27, 2014. Picture taken December 27, 2014. (credit: REUTERS/DADO RUVIC/FILE PHOTO)

China says that it does not engage in cyberattacks and has called such allegations "malicious smears."

About 87% of cyberattacks recorded by China are directed against Russia, according to Russia's TASS news agency.