Because it reveals to attackers exactly what the defense knows, the publication of this kind of security report is very rare--especially when the report addresses the computer security of private businesses like The New York Times (which announced January 30 that it had been the victim of cyberattacks over the past four months). Such reports also make it harder to detect the same kind of attacks in the future, as hostile hackers adapt around defenses. In this case, however, both The New York Times and Mandiant felt it was important to publicize the style, national origins, and magnitude of these attacks. They hope to alert the private sector to its shared vulnerabilities, as well as to highlight the single source (the Chinese military) launching the attacks.