#China #cyber-warfare capability a 'formidable concern'

By Damian Grammaticas

China's growing capabilities in cyber-warfare and intelligence gathering have been described as a "formidable concern" to the United States.

James Clapper, the US Director of National Intelligence, made the comments in testimony to the US Senate.
From Canada and Britain, France and South Korea, there have been growing reports of online attacks on computer networks around the world.
The finger of suspicion is often pointed at China.
In evidence to the US Senate's Armed Services Committee, Mr Clapper said last year saw a "dramatic increase" in malicious cyber-activity targeting US computers and networks.
He did not mention who might be behind the surge in attempts to steal information from government ministries, major companies and others.
But he added that China had made "a substantial investment" in cyber-warfare and intelligence gathering, saying it had a "very large organisation devoted to it and they're pretty aggressive".
"This is just another way in which they glean information about us and collect on us for technology purposes, so it's a very formidable concern," he said.

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China cyber-strength 'a concern'