Microsoft has taken control of websites – or rather their domain names – believed to be uses by Chinese hackers. It's the latest example of a tactic that overcomes the usual problems of dealing with an international online threat. According to Microsoft, the "Nickel" group is based in China and is a "nation-state actor": in other words, it at the very least has the backing of the Chinese government. It uses a variety of tactics to try to spy on victims and intercept their data. Targets include government agencies and human rights groups. Microsoft somewhat understatedly says there's "often a…