FILE
- A file photo of St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, taken on April 10,
2020. According to U.S.-based monitoring group Recorded Future, the
Vatican and the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong have been the targets of
alleged Chinese state-backed hackers ahead of talks on renewal of a
landmark 2018 deal that helped thaw diplomatic relations. (AP
Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
VATICAN
CITY (AP) — The Vatican and the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong have been
the targets of alleged Chinese state-backed hackers ahead of talks on
renewal of a landmark 2018 deal that helped thaw diplomatic relations
between the Vatican and China, according to a monitoring group.
The alleged attacks by a group called RedDelta began in May with an eye
on September talks to renew a provisional agreement on bishop
appointments, according to a report Tuesday by the U.S.-based Recorded
Future, which tracks state-backed cyber attacks. The attacks were first
reported by the New York Times.
The Vatican had no
immediate comment. The Chinese foreign ministry denied any involvement,
calling the report ’’groundless speculation.”
Recorded
Future said that the Hong Kong Study Mission to China — a key link
between the Vatican and China — and the Pontifical Institute for Foreign
Missions also were targeted.
’’The
suspected intrusion into the Vatican would offer RedDelta insight into
the negotiating position of the Holy See ahead of the deal’s September
2020 renewal,” the report said. It also could provide ‘’valuable
intelligence’’ about Hong Kong-based Catholic entities’ position on the
pro-democracy movement.
The
attacks continued at least through July 21. They included an apparent
phishing attempt with a document on Vatican Secretariat of State
letterhead directed to the head of the Hong Kong Study Mission to China.
China’s
estimated 12 million Catholics are split between those belonging to the
government-backed Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, which is
outside the pope’s authority, and an underground church loyal to the
pope. Underground priests and parishioners are frequently detained and
harassed.
A
landmark 2018 deal between the Holy See and China on bishop nominations
was aimed at uniting the flock, regularizing the status of seven bishops
who were not recognized by Rome and thawing decades of estrangement
between China and the Vatican.
But
some of China’s underground faithful have deep reservations about the
deal, seeing it as a sell-out to the Communist government and a betrayal
of their long loyalty to the pope.
China
routinely denies engaging in a state-sponsored program to steal
commercial secrets or sensitive government information over the
internet, and says it is among the biggest victims of hacking attacks.
The U.S. disputes that and says it has traced cyber intrusions to the
Chinese military. Earlier this month, Washington indicted two Chinese
citizens for allegedly launching hacking attacks against companies in
the U.S. and other countries.
The
Justice Department also said hackers working with the Chinese
government targeted firms developing vaccines for the coronavirus. China
says Washington has provided no information to back up the charges.