China: Hacking of US govt sites was criminal, not state-sponsored, act

China's official Xinhua news agency said on Wednesday that an investigation into a massive US computer breach last year that affected more than 22 mn federal workers found the hacking attack was criminal, not state-sponsored.

In an article about a meeting between top US and Chinese officials on cyber security issues held in Washington, Xinhua said the breach at the US Office of Personnel Management was among the cases discussed.

The report did not give details of who conducted the investigation, or whether US and Chinese officials both agreed with the conclusion.

The US Embassy in Beijing referred Reuters to the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security in Washington for comment. The Cyberspace Administration of China, the country's Internet regulator, did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment. The intrusions had exposed sensitive personal information of current and former federal employees and contractors.