China Gives Hackers Its Blessing to Break Into Vatican Emails

Hackers alleged to be backed by China have renewed efforts to penetrate a Vatican email server even after the attacks became public, in a push to spy on sensitive negotiations between the two states, a new cybersecurity report says.

The incursions by the group RedDelta, which began in May, had ceased after they were disclosed in a July 28 report by U.S.-based security specialist Recorded Future. The attacks have now recommenced, targeting servers of the Vatican and the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong, the monitoring group said in a new report Tuesday.