The Justice Department announced charges against seven Chinese nationals with ties to a state-sponsored hacking group, accusing them of targeting U.S. businesses, political officials, candidates, and campaign staff to promote Chinese government objectives. The indictment charges the individuals with conspiracy to commit computer intrusions and wire fraud for their involvement in the hacking group’s activities, which included compromising email accounts and phone records. Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that this case highlights the lengths to which the Chinese government is willing to go to target and intimidate its critics through cyber operations.
The hacking scheme involved sending emails to targeted individuals and businesses that appeared to be from news outlets or journalists, containing hidden phishing links that provided information to a server controlled by the hackers. Among those targeted were individuals at the White House, federal agencies, members of Congress from both parties, and campaign staff ahead of the 2020 election. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco stated that over 10,000 malicious emails impacted thousands of victims across multiple continents, targeting journalists, political officials, and companies to repress critics of the Chinese regime, compromise government institutions, and steal trade secrets.
While the indictment does not allege that the hacking furthered Chinese government influence operations against the U.S., it is consistent with a 2021 report that found information gathered by Chinese actors was not used in influence operations. The U.S. imposed sanctions on the hacking group APT31, accusing it of being a branch of Beijing’s top spy agency. The UK government also accused Chinese nationals of a hacking scheme targeting voter details in 2021. The Justice Department’s actions and sanctions aim to address the threat posed by state-sponsored hacking groups and their efforts to target individuals and institutions in the U.S. and other countries.
The indictment and charges against the Chinese nationals underscore the ongoing threat posed by state-sponsored hacking groups and their activities targeting businesses, political officials, and campaign staff. The alleged hacking scheme aimed to intimidate critics of the Chinese government, compromise government institutions, and steal trade secrets. The Justice Department’s actions serve as a warning to those engaging in malicious cyber activities that the U.S. will hold them accountable for their actions. The sanctions imposed on the hacking group APT31 and the UK’s similar accusations against Chinese nationals highlight the global nature of the cyber threat and the need for coordinated efforts to address it.
Overall, the indictment and charges against the Chinese nationals involved in the hacking scheme demonstrate the U.S. government’s commitment to combating cyber threats and holding those responsible for malicious activities accountable. The actions taken by the Justice Department and other governments underscore the importance of addressing state-sponsored cyber operations that target individuals, businesses, and government institutions. As technology continues to advance, efforts to address cyber threats must also evolve to protect national security and safeguard critical infrastructure from malicious actors.
