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According to a recent research conducted by Google, a new cyber-attack, somewhat similar to the one that targeted the search giant, has been reported.

It was implemented with the intention of hacking into the computers of critics of a Vietnam-based mining project.

In a post on the official Google online security, Neel Mehta, member of the security team, wrote that in order to a hack into the computers of the activists protesting against the mines, cyber criminals infected ‘potentially tens of thousands of computers’ belonging to Vietnamese speaking people around the globe.

Mr. Mehta explained on the blog that the hackers had used the infected machines in order to spy on their owners and target blogs which criticised the Vietnamese mining project, that was backed by the People’s Republic of China.

Google also reported that the malware used to infect the computers wasn’t a sophisticated one, but was nonetheless harmful.

Meanwhile, internet security company McAfee, confirming Google’s findings, reported that the cyber criminals, who mounted the attacks, may have been working for the government of Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

McAfee’s reported declared that “This incident underscores that not every attack is motivated by data theft or money. This is likely the latest example of hacktivism and politically motivated cyberattacks, which are on the rise.”

Originally published on ITProPortal.com