Report: China hackers stole key Google program

The story in The New York Times provided more details about an intrusion that provoked a politically charged showdown between Google and China's government over Internet censorship and computer security.

The Times said it obtained the information from an unnamed person with direct knowledge of the investigation into the break-in that Google has traced to China.

Google declined to comment specifically on the Times' story. A spokeswoman reiterated Google's previous assertions that the attacks on the company didn't obtain any personal information from its users' e-mail accounts.

The stolen password system was called Gaia, a reference to the Greek goddess of earth, according to the Times. Besides e-mail, Gaia also governed access to the online services that Google sells to businesses, government agencies and schools.

Without providing specifics, Google acknowledged some of its intellectual property had been stolen when it announced the hacking attacks in January. The heist prompted Google to tighten its computer security.

At least 20 other companies were targeted in similar attacks, according to Google, Kazinform cites Trend News. See www.en.trend.az for full version.