CHINA DENIES MICROSOFT HACK, ACCUSES U.S. OF SMEAR CAMPAIGN

BEIJING: China on Tuesday rejected an accusation by Washington and its Western allies that Beijing is to blame for a hack of the Microsoft Exchange email system and complained Chinese entities are victims of damaging US cyberattacks.

A foreign ministry spokesman demanded Washington drop charges announced on Monday against four Chinese nationals accused of working with the ministry of state security to try to steal US trade secrets, technology and disease research.

The announcement that the Biden administration and European allies formally blame Chinese government-linked hackers for ransomware attacks increased pressure over longrunning complaints against Beijing but included no sanctions.

“The United States ganged up with its allies to make unwarranted accusations against Chinese cybersecurity,” said the spokesman, Zhao Lijian. “This was made up out of thin air and confused right and wrong. It is purely a smear and suppression with political motives.”

“China will never accept this,” Zhao said, though he gave no indication of possible retaliation.

On Monday, US authorities said government-affiliated hackers targeted American and other victims with demands for millions of dollars.

Officials alleged contract hackers associated with the MSS engaged in extortion schemes and theft for their own profit.

Microsoft blamed Chinese spies for the Microsoft Exchange attack that compromised tens of thousands of computers around the world. The British foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, on Monday called that “a reckless but familiar pattern of behaviour”.