U.S. Charges Chinese Nationals and Government Officials Over Cyber Hacking Allegations

The U.S. Justice Department has filed charges against ten Chinese citizens and two Chinese government operatives who allegedly participated in cyberattacks directed at political dissidents, religious organizations, news media, and various American government agencies. This action by U.S. prosecutors highlights allegations of a sustained effort by Chinese authorities to compromise sensitive information through hacking campaigns.

According to the indictment disclosed on Wednesday, a cybersecurity company identified as Anxun Information Technology, also known by the name i-Soon, was funded by the Chinese government to carry out hacking operations. The alleged goal of employing this firm was to obtain critical data while skillfully hiding China's direct involvement in these activities.

The document specifically accuses eight employees of i-Soon and two officials from China's Ministry of Public Security of various offenses linked to the hacking of email accounts, mobile devices, servers, and websites. Prosecutors assert these cyber intrusions occurred consistently between 2016 and 2023. Additionally, separate charges were also brought against two other Chinese nationals believed to be connected to a recent cyber intrusion targeting the U.S. Treasury Department.