Chinese Hackers Impersonated U.S. Lawmaker in Data Theft Attempt

The House Select Committee on China has reported that suspected cyberattackers, believed to be affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party, engaged in a series of attempts to steal sensitive data related to trade negotiations. These attackers impersonated the Republican chair of the committee, Rep. John Moolenaar, in their efforts.

Over the past few weeks, the hackers sent multiple emails that were designed to deceive recipients. The emails contained files and links that, if opened, would have granted the attackers access to confidential information concerning U.S.-China trade discussions. The committee stated that these emails were sent to a variety of recipients, including U.S. government agencies, business organizations, law firms, and at least one foreign government.

The committee's analysis revealed that the hackers attempted to conceal their activities through the misuse of software and cloud services. The panel identified these tactics as characteristic of state-sponsored cyber intrusions. Based on their findings, officials have concluded that the attack was backed by the Chinese Communist Party. The committee has notified both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Capitol Police about the incident.