Google Discovery of Gmail Hacking Effort Prompts U.S. Review

Google Inc.’s discovery of an attempt to steal passwords from Gmail users, which may have originated in China, is being reviewed by the U.S. State Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The U.S. was notified this week and is looking into the allegations, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said. The FBI is working with Google to review the matter, said Jenny Shearer, a bureau spokeswoman. The attacks likely targeted hundreds of Gmail users, including U.S. government officials. China’s foreign ministry said yesterday that any suggestion the government is behind the attack would be a “fabrication.”