Chinese Nationals Charged in Global Cybercrime Campaigns
The U.S. Department of Justice has charged twelve Chinese nationals with involvement in global cybercrime campaigns targeting dissidents, news organizations, U.S. agencies, and universities. This move highlights the growing concern over China's sophisticated cyber threat, including the 2023 hack of telecom firms known as Salt Typhoon.
One indictment focuses on eight individuals associated with the private hacking company I-Soon, accused of conducting a wide range of cyberattacks worldwide. These attacks aimed to suppress speech, locate dissidents, and steal data from victims. Among those charged is Wu Haibo, the founder of I-Soon and a former member of China's Green Army hacktivist group.
The indictment reveals new details about I-Soon's activities targeting Chinese dissidents, religious organizations, and media outlets based in the U.S., including a newspaper critical of the Chinese Communist Party. Other targets included individual critics of China living in the U.S., the Defense Intelligence Agency, and a research university.
The indictment suggests that some targets were directed by China's Ministry of Public Security, while others were chosen by the hackers themselves, who then attempted to sell the stolen information to the government. I-Soon reportedly charged the Chinese government between $10,000 and $75,000 for each successfully hacked email inbox.
A separate indictment charges two other Chinese hackers, Yin Kecheng and Zhou Shuai, with targeting U.S. technology companies, think tanks, defense contractors, and health care systems. This includes the U.S. Treasury Department, which was breached in a major cybersecurity incident last year.
These indictments underscore the growing threat posed by China's hacking-for-hire ecosystem, where private companies and contractors are paid by the government to target specific individuals and organizations. This raises concerns about deniability and the potential for further cyberattacks against U.S. interests.
8 Comments
Eugene Alta
I am tired of the U.S. always being the bad guy. When will they finally be held accountable for their actions?
Noir Black
We need to invest more in cybersecurity research and development. This is essential for protecting ourselves from future attacks.
BuggaBoom
This is a clear case of cyberwarfare. The U.S. is using these accusations to escalate tensions with China.
Loubianka
The world is a safer place today thanks to the actions of the U.S. government. We owe them a debt of gratitude.
Katchuka
The U.S. should focus on fixing its own problems instead of meddling in other countries' affairs. They have enough issues at home to deal with.
Muchacho
I am glad that the U.S. is finally taking a stand against China's hacking activities. We need to do everything we can to protect ourselves from their attacks.
ZmeeLove
The U.S. government needs to do more to protect our critical infrastructure from cyberattacks. We are at serious risk.
Bella Ciao
We need to stand up to the U.S. and their bullying tactics. We cannot let them continue to dominate the world with their lies and hypocrisy.