Cyberspies hacking companies

Cyberspies believed to be employed by governments are hacking foreign companies for high-value secrets ranging from details on oil fields to advanced manufacturing technology.

"This is really the new era of cybercrime," said Graham Cluley, a British security expert. "We've moved from kids in their bedroom and financially motivated crime to state-sponsored cybercrime, which is interested in stealing secrets and getting military or commercial advantage."

A report this week by technology security firm Mandiant adds to mounting suspicion that Chinese military experts are helping state industry by stealing secrets from Western companies. The Chinese military has denied involvement in the attacks.

Mandiant published 3000 digital indicators of activity by the Chinese unit, which it called APT1, including domain names and IP addresses linked to hacking attacks.

The hackers appeared to be linked to a Shanghai-based unit of the People's Liberation Army.

Companies in fields from petrochemicals to software can cut costs by receiving stolen secrets. For example, an energy company bidding for access to an oil field abroad can save money if spies can tell it what foreign rivals might pay.

"It's like an ongoing war," said Ryusuke Masuoka, a cybersecurity expert at Tokyo's Centre for International Public Policy Studies. "It is going to spread and get deeper and deeper."