New York Times accuses Chinese hackers of attacking its computer systems

ISTANBUL

People walk by the entrance to US newspaper 'The New York Times' in New York, in this March 8, 2011. AFP PHOTO/Emmanuel Dunand

U.S. daily The New York Times (NYT) has reportedly suffered four consecutive months of attacks by Chinese hackers due to the newspaper’s reports about the wealth of Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao's family, according to sources at the media outlet.

Basing its claims on a cyber-security company's investigation, NYT accused Chinese hackers of infiltrating its computer systems and illegally obtaining passwords belonging to its reporters and other employees.

Security experts have reportedly obtained digital evidence proving the Chinese origin of the attacks, while the method of breaking into NYT's computers has reportedly been used by the Chinese military in the past.

NYT said no customer data had been stolen in the hacking.

Contrary to Wen's statements that he had an "extremely poor" family, NYT claimed in a special investigation published online on Oct. 25, 2012, that the prime minister's mother and many of his other relatives had become "extraordinarily wealthy" during his leadership.