British intelligence warns of Chinese hacking

Jake Widman
Tuesday, 02 February 2010 11:38

Business IT - Security

The internal security agency MI5 has warned UK businesspeople that agents of the Chinese government are using various methods, including compromised gifts and sexual relationships, to hack into British systems.

According to the Times Online, relying on a leaked government document, MI5 has asserted that China "represents one of the most significant espionage threats to the UK" because of its use of bugging, burglary, and gifts to glean sensitive information from traveling businesspeople.

The allegations are contained in a 14-page report from the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure, whose contents were confirmed by the New York Times.

According to the report, businesspeople traveling to China are likely to have their hotel rooms bugged or even searched while they're not there.

It also warns that "During conferences or visits to Chinese companies you may be given gifts such as USB devices or cameras. There have been cases where these 'gifts' have contained Trojan devices and other types of malware."

Other methods include the establishment of sexual relationships or the cultivation of apparent friendships through the use of lavish hospitality and flattery.

Google and other U.S. companies recently revealed that they were the targets of sophisticated hacking attacks that originated in China.

The Chinese government has denied engaging in any such activity.