Canada Accuses China of Hacking National Research Council Computers

The Canadian government Tuesday accused Chinese hackers of launching a cyber attack on a key federal scientific research agency.  

The Canadian Treasury Board said that the computer infrastructure of the National Research Council was breached by a "Chinese state-sponsored actor," BBC reports.

"A highly sophisticated Chinese state-sponsored actor" had broken into the National Research Council, officials said. The research council is the Canadian government's leading research body, which works with major companies such as aircraft and train maker Bombardier Inc.

NRC president John McDougall, in a conference call to employees, said: "Any information held in our systems, including employees' personal information, may have been compromised. Client information and data may also have been compromised," The Star reports.

This event is crucial; Canada lodged the protest with China at a time when it is looking forward to boosting oil sales to Beijing, Reuters reports.

However, the Chinese embassy in Ottawa dismissed the report as a "groundless allegation". "China-Canada relations have maintained a good momentum. We are ready to work together with the Canadian side to create a peaceful, secure, open and cooperative cyber space," said embassy spokesperson Yang Yundong.

Canada has reported hacking incidents earlier too, but this was the first time it actually went a step ahead and singled out China.

China is often suspected of being involved in various hacking attacks on companies in the United States as well as other countries.

A spokesman for Foreign Minister John Baird said that the minister had "a full and frank exchange of views" about the case with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during a meeting in Beijing, Tuesday.

"The government takes this issue very seriously, and we are addressing it at the highest levels in both Beijing and Ottawa," said spokesman Adam Hodge.