US firm: Chinese hackers infiltrated Cambodia’s politics
Last month, the daughter of a jailed Cambodian opposition party leader received an email from a well-seeming activist at a reputed Cambodian non-profit. For weeks, the sender nudged Monovithya Kem to open an attachment described as containing interview questions.
Kem suspected a trap set by Cambodian hackers seeking access to her computer. But a monthslong investigation by California security-research firm FireEye revealed that Kem was among several Cambodians likely targeted by a far more formidable actor: China.
FireEye said Wednesday it found evidence that a Chinese hacking team it believes is linked to Beijing has penetrated computer systems belonging to Cambodia’s election commission, opposition leaders and media in the months leading up to Cambodia’s July 29 election. Investigators could not immediately tell what, if any, data had been stolen or altered.
