The Chinese government claimed it has no connection with the Shenzhen-based company that has allegedly been monitoring thousands of Indians. The clarification was given to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, which had taken up the issue with Beijing.
“The Chinese side has conveyed that the company is a private entity. The Chinese side has also claimed that there is no connection between the company concerned and the Chinese Government,” spokesperson of Indian External Affairs Ministry told reporters on Thursday.
New Delhi, meanwhile, has established an expert committee headed by National Cyber Security Coordinator retired Lieutenant General Rajesh Pant, to evaluate the implications, assess any violations of law and submit its recommendations within thirty days.
The range of targets by Zhenhua Data Information Technology Company Limited, according to the report, include President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, several state chiefs, federal ministers, chief of defence staff, over a dozen former chiefs of armed forces, chief justice of India and several judges.
In November 2019, there were attempts to breach the computer system of Russian-built Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. A South Korean cyber-security firm claimed the plant was attacked by North Korean malware in an attempt to obtain information about the plant’s technology.