The Chinese government’s claim that it had no prior knowledge of cyberattacks carried out in a location near Shanghai seems unlikely due to the sheer size of the operation, reports CNBC.
“It’s highly unlikely that the Chinese government was not at least aware of the cyberattacks that targeted U.S. companies, organizations and government entities,” said Kevin Mandia, CEO and founder of the security firm Mandiant, on CNBC “Squawk on the Street” on Tuesday.
The New York Times reported early Tuesday that Mandia’s security experts found that the cyberattacks were coming from a location on the outskirts of Shanghai in a building that housed in the People’s Liberation Army Unit 61398 — the base for its “cyberwarriors.”
A spokesperson for the Chinese ministry said the claims were “unfounded accusations based on preliminary results,” and followed with, “China resolutely opposes hacking actions and has established relevant laws and regulations, and taken strict law enforcement measures to defend against online hacking activities.”
The cyberattacks did not aim to destroy content, but rather target valuable intellectual property.
“If the U.S. wants to prevent future attacks, like the string of recent attacks on U.S. companies and government organizations, it’s going to have to intervene somehow,” Mandia advised.