China,Russia behind Internet spying: US

Both China and Russia hide behind the anonymity of proxy computers and dispersed routers in third countries to pilfer proprietary corporate information to accelerate their own economic development,according to the new intelligence assessment.

They have also targeted the computer networks of government agencies and universities,the report said. However,US officials,when pressed,have said that pinpointing the culprits remained difficult in cyberspace.

The new intelligence study,compiled as a report to Congress on foreign economic and industrial espionage over the past two years,presents a pointed case that China and Russia are the leading actors in the Internet theft of economic secrets.

The computer networks of a broad array of US government agencies,private companies,universities and other institutions all holding large volumes of sensitive economic information were targeted by cyber espionage, the report said.

Chinese actors are the worlds most active and persistent perpetrators of economic espionage, it added.