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Germany Furious Over Chinese Spy Hackers

Berlin government computers infected with espionage programs

By Heather McPherson,  Newser User

Posted Aug 27, 2007 5:52 AM CDT

(Newser) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel kicked off her Chinese summit today amid highly charged reports in der Spiegel that the Chinese have been spying on the German government by hacking into computers in several German ministries. Scores of official computers are said to have been infected with spyware concealed in PowerPoint and Microsoft Word programs.

Information was taken daily by hackers under the direction of the Chinese military, redirected via computers in South Korea to disguise their tracks, der Spiegel claims. The spying was discovered in May, but became a political hot potato when it was made public just hours before Merkel left for Beijing.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, is escorted by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao upon arrival at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Monday, Aug. 27, 2007. Merkel met with Chinese leaders Monday on the first leg of a weeklong Asian tour, with climate change, human rights and economic...
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, is escorted by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao upon arrival at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Monday, Aug. 27, 2007. Merkel met with Chinese leaders...   (Associated Press)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel inspects the guard of honor upon her arrival at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Monday, Aug. 27, 2007. Merkel met with Chinese leaders Monday on the first leg of a weeklong Asian tour, with climate change, human rights and economic ties among...
German Chancellor Angela Merkel inspects the guard of honor upon her arrival at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Monday, Aug. 27, 2007. Merkel met with Chinese leaders Monday on the first...   (Associated Press)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, is escorted by her Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao during an inspection of the guard of honor at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Monday, Aug. 27, 2007. Merkel met with Chinese leaders Monday on the first leg of a weeklong Asian tour,...
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, is escorted by her Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao during an inspection of the guard of honor at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Monday, Aug. 27, 2007....   (Associated Press)
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