Chinese hackers targeted SE Asia, India for last decade

A cyber espionage group most likely sponsored by China has been snooping on governments and businesses in Southeast Asia and India undetected for the last 10 years, Internet security company FireEye said Monday. FireEye said the hackers, dubbed APT30, have been systematically stealing "sensitive information" since 2005, targeting governments, corporations and journalists with interests involving China.

"Based on APT30's confirmed targets and their intended victims, the group's interests appear to concentrate on Southeast Asia regional political, economic and military issues, disputed territories and topics related to the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party," the report said.

It said the campaign differs from other hacking outfits mostly in its scale and longevity, leading researchers to believe that it must be state-sponsored.

It also said the main objective appears to be data theft as opposed to financial gain.

"Such a sustained, planned development effort, coupled with the group's regional targets and mission, lead us to believe that this activity is state-sponsored -- most likely by the Chinese government," said the report released by California-based FireEye's Asia office in Singapore.

China swiftly denied any involvement.

"The Chinese government firmly opposes hacking attacks, this position is consistent and clear," said foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei in Beijing.

FireEye said the cyber espionage group has consistently developed and refined its tools over the past 10 years.