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Chinese spying on German government computers: report

Berlin, Aug 25, IRNA

Numerous computers of the German government are infected by Chinese espionage programs, the weekly Der Spiegel news magazine said in a report to hit the newsstands on Sunday.

The so-called 'Trojan' programs which enable the unnoticed spying of computers, have been discovered in several ministries a few months ago, Der Spiegel cited a probe by Germany's domestic Verfassungsschutz intelligence agency and the Federal Office for Information Technology Security.

Chinese cyber spies snooped reportedly on computers in the chancellery, the foreign and economic ministry as well as the research ministry.

According to the Verfassungschutz, the Chinese hackers are believed to be linked to China's People's Army.

China is continuing its efforts to plant Trojan programs via the internet on German government computers, Der Spiegel said.

Reacting to the report, the Chinese embassy in Berlin dismissed it as "irresponsible speculation without any basis of proof".

Chancellor Angela Merkel was due to embark on Sunday on a one-week visit to China and Japan.

The German media has repeatedly reported on extensive Chinese economic espionage inside Germany.

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