Hackers with Chinese Internet addresses mounted a cyber blitz...

Reuters
3:00 a.m.  2.Sep.99.PDT

Hackers with Chinese Internet addresses mounted a cyber blitz against US and allied forces in May, after NATO bombed the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, a top US Air Force officer said. Lt. Gen. William Donahue, commander of the Air Force Communications and Information Center at the Pentagon, said hackers "came at us daily, hell-bent on taking down NATO networks."

Air Force spokeswoman Maj. Donna Nicholas relayed Donahue's remarks on the attack, which he said occurred during the 78-day NATO air bombardment of Yugoslavia.

Donahue was speaking at an annual Air Force technology conference in Montgomery, Alabama. His remarks were carried first on the Web site of Federal Computer Week, a trade publication.

Donahue said the U.S. military had traced coordinated attacks to more than one Internet address in China as well as to Serbs and their sympathizers. He declined to say whether the addresses in China were on government-controlled networks.

The blitz emanating from China was "not terribly sophisticated" and consisted mostly of email meant to clog networks, Donahue said.

NATO bombs fell on the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade on 7 May, killing three people and injuring 27. NATO said the bombing was a tragic mistake. China said it appeared to be a deliberate bid to silence its criticism of NATO'S interference in Yugoslavia's internal affairs.

Top of Page