Report: China Likely Hacked US Satellites

Hackers who hit two US satellites four times in 2007 and 2008 may have been tied to the Chinese military, reports Bloomberg. “Such interference poses numerous potential threats, particularly if achieved against satellites with more sensitive functions,” says a draft of the annual report by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission. The report, which says one attack "achieved all steps required to command the satellite,” stops short of directly accusing China of making the attacks, but says they were "consistent" with Chinese military policy.

The report does not give many details about the hacking, but says that China “conducted and supported a range of malicious cyber activities” over the past year. China strongly denies the assertions. China “never does anything that endangers other countries’ security interests," says a spokesman from the Chinese embassy in Washington, accusing the commission of “collecting unproved stories to serve its purpose of vilifying China’s international image over the years." (More US-China relations stories.)