Cybersleuths have traced a series of online attacks on Google and dozens of other American companies to two schools in China. The findings by computer security experts and investigators from the National Security Agency have already been denied by the Chinese.

It's unlikely this discovery will put an end to the onslaught of cyberattacks worldwide. Researchers who monitor Chinese information warfare say the Chinese have adopted a distributed approach to online espionage, making it impossible to trace the source of an attack. At the Lanxiang school, one teacher told the New York Times that it was unlikely students at the school were involved in computer mischief.

"I think it's impossible for our students to hack Google or other U.S. companies because they are just high school graduates and not at an advanced level. Also, because our school adopts close management, outsiders cannot easily come into our school," he said.

It's also unclear what this kind of discovery means for the future. It is still a needle in a haystack for investigators to pinpoint the source of a problem and stop it before it spreads worldwide.

For more on the source of hack attacks:
- see this New York Times article

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