Google investigates its own China staff over cyber attack

By Tania Branigan in Beijing and Reuters Guardian.co.uk
18 January 2010

Google is investigating whether one or more of its employees in China helped launch the cyber attack against it last month, according to reports.

It is thought the line of inquiry is a routine part of its investigation into the attack, which Google says was sophisticated, originated in China and targeted intellectual property and the email accounts of human rights activists.

According to Reuters news agency, citing two unidentified sources, the attack, which targeted people with access to specific parts of Google networks, might have been helped by employees in the company's offices in China. It has several hundred staff on the mainland.

"We're not commenting on rumour and speculation. This is an ongoing investigation and we simply cannot comment on the details," a Google spokeswoman said.