Did Chinese Unleash Titan Rain?

Reports claim that the Chinese PLA were not only responsible for a Pentagon cyber attack, but have also hit British and German government computers.

According to a front page report in the Financial Times, the Pentagon claims to have found the source of a cyber attack in June that stole data and shut down thee-mail system of the Defense secretary.   An anonymous source said the culprits were the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA). According to the report, the attackers, working from anumber of locations, spend several months probing Pentagon defences before hacking in. The Pentagon was forced to take down its system for over a week. Officials called it the most successful attackon the Defense department.   The US dubbed the attack Titan Rain, and some have said it’s just one of an increasing number coming from the countryand aimed at several government departments over the years.  

The Chinese have vigorously denied the report.

“The Chinese government has consistently opposed and vigorously attacked according to the law all internet-wrecking crimes, including hacking,” the foreign ministry spokeswoman JiangYu was quoted by Reuters as saying. “Some people are making wild accusations against China… These are totally groundless and also reflect a cold war mentality.”

However, the US isn’t the only country that appears to be under the threat of Chinese cyber attack. In Germany there’s been talk of Chinese attacks on German government computers.

A report in the Guardian has said that Chinese hackers, some from the PLA, have been hitting British government computers, too. The Foreign Office andseveral other departments have been targeted in what have been termed a “constant ongoing problem.”