US researchers say unit called Axiom is China's elite hacking group
US researchers say hacker group Axiom is state-backed and highly sophisticated
A Chinese cyberespionage group is targeting US and Western government agencies as well as dissidents inside and outside China by hacking into thousands of computers around the globe, a group of researchers claim.
The security researchers say the state-sponsored group, dubbed Axiom, appears to be more sophisticated than any other known Chinese hacker unit.
In recent weeks, Axiom malicious software has been detected on at least 43,000 computers around the world belonging to law enforcement and other government agencies, journalists, telecommunications and energy firms, as well as human rights and pro-democracy groups.
The allegations come just two weeks before US President Barack Obama is due to arrive in Beijing for a series of high-level talks - including on the issue of cybersecurity.
Researchers said Axiom was going after intelligence benefiting Chinese domestic and international policies - an approach that combined commercial cyberespionage, foreign intelligence and counterintelligence with monitoring dissidents.
Axiom's work is more sophisticated than that of Unit 61398 - a People's Liberation Army hacker group that was highlighted in a report last year.
Unlike Unit 61398, Axiom is focused on spying on dissidents as well as on industrial espionage and theft of intellectual property.