Twelve Chinese nationals are charged with hacking-related crimes, including selling U.S. dissident data to the Chinese government and infiltrating several U.S. government agencies, according to the Justice Department.
U.S. Indicts 12 Chinese Nationals for Alleged Cyber Attacks on Dissidents and Agencies
U.S. Indicts 12 Chinese Nationals for Alleged Cyber Attacks on Dissidents and Agencies
The Justice Department unveils charges against individuals linked to a hacking scheme targeting U.S. dissidents and government agencies, claiming strong ties to the Chinese government.
US prosecutors have officially charged a dozen Chinese nationals as part of an alleged hacking operation aimed at U.S.-based dissidents, which reportedly involved the unlawful exchange of sensitive information with the Chinese government. Labelled as a "state-sponsored" initiative, this operation also extended its reach to various U.S. government bodies, including the Treasury Department, as indicated in a statement from the Justice Department (DOJ).
In addition to dissidents, the hackers targeted an American religious organization known for its critical stance against the People's Republic of China (PRC) and a publication in Hong Kong that has historically opposed the Chinese government. Although China has not directly replied to these specific allegations, it has consistently refuted similar accusations in the past, dismissing them as unfounded claims. The Treasury Department had previously noted a “significant” breach attributed to Chinese-sponsored cyber actors, who had infiltrated employee workstations and accessed some unclassified documents. Beijing responded at that time by labeling the allegations as "baseless" and asserted its opposition to all forms of hacking.
While the exact date of the DOJ charges remains unspecified, they were made public in a Manhattan federal court on Wednesday. Among those indicted are two officials from China's Ministry of Public Security. Investigations revealed that the hackers, reportedly affiliated with a private entity named i-Soon, charged Chinese governmental agencies between $10,000 and $75,000 for each compromised email account they exploited. The DOJ stated that these hackers conducted intrusions both under government directive and autonomously while receiving lucrative payments for the stolen data.
Sue J. Bai, head of the DOJ's National Security Division, emphasized the department's commitment to unveiling the agents and entities facilitating such indiscriminate cyber attacks on global networks. She affirmed, "We will continue to fight to dismantle this ecosystem of cyber mercenaries and protect our national security."
Additional details about the targeted U.S. dissidents remain undisclosed, although the religious organization focused on in the attacks has a history of sending missionaries to China and expressing opposition to the Chinese government. Moreover, the hackers reportedly aimed their efforts at the foreign ministries of multiple nations, including Taiwan, India, South Korea, and Indonesia.
In a related context, last October, the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency reported that cyberattacks targeting two prominent U.S. presidential campaigns were linked to actors affiliated with the PRC. Additionally, last year, seven Chinese individuals were accused of executing a hacking scheme that spanned over 14 years, aimed at foreign critics of China. In recent years, operations attributed to Chinese state-sponsored groups have also targeted institutions in the UK and New Zealand.
