In brief
The Justice Department (DOJ) has unveiled charges against twelve individuals involved in a hacking scheme that compromised US dissidents and government agencies. Among the accused are officials linked to China's Ministry of Public Security, reflecting escalating tensions in cybersecurity between the US and China.
US prosecutors have taken significant action by charging 12 Chinese nationals believed to have taken part in an elaborate hacking scheme, aimed at collecting and selling sensitive data about US-based dissidents to the Chinese government. This alleged cyber operation, described as "state-sponsored" by the Justice Department (DOJ), also reportedly targeted notable US government entities, including the Treasury Department.In a recent statement released by the DOJ, it was disclosed that the hacking efforts reached beyond American dissidents, impacting an American religious organization critical of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and a Hong Kong-based newspaper opposing the Chinese government. China's official response to these particular allegations remains unclear; however, the government has consistently denied involvement in similar claims in the past.Amid these developments, it was noted that last December, the Treasury Department highlighted a "major" breach attributed to Chinese-sponsored hackers, where unauthorized access to employee workstations and unclassified documents was confirmed. The Chinese government responded strongly at that time, dismissing the accusations as "baseless" and reiterating its opposition to all forms of hacking.While the date of the DOJ's charges remains unspecified, they were formally unveiled in a federal court in Manhattan on Wednesday. The charges identify two operatives linked to China's Ministry of Public Security as being among those indicted. The DOJ stated that these hackers, allegedly operating through a private firm known as i-Soon, conducted computer intrusions under the directives of various Chinese ministries. They were reportedly compensated between $10,000 and $75,000 for each compromised email account.Sue J Bai, head of the DOJ's National Security Division, commented on the charges, asserting, "Today, we are exposing the Chinese government agents directing and fostering indiscriminate and reckless attacks against computers and networks worldwide". She emphasized the DOJ's commitment to dismantling what she terms an "ecosystem of cyber mercenaries" to bolster national security.While further information about the targeted US-based dissidents was sparse, the religious organization involved had a history of sending missionaries to China and had openly criticized the PRC government. Additionally, the hackers were reported to have also targeted foreign ministries of several countries, including Taiwan, India, South Korea, and Indonesia.The DOJ's actions follow previous revelations from the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency last October, which indicated that cyberattacks aimed at two major US presidential campaigns were executed by "actors affiliated with the People's Republic of China". This latest indictment aligns with broader trends of cyber operations linked to China, targeting entities such as the UK's Electoral Commission and legislative bodies in both the UK and New Zealand, signaling a global escalation in cybersecurity concerns surrounding state-sponsored activities.
