The Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged 12 Chinese nationals in connection with extensive cyberattacks affecting over 100 U.S. organizations, including the Treasury Department. These attacks date back to 2013 and involve significant breaches attributed to two state ministries in China.
According to the DOJ, the defendants operated either independently or under the direction of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and the Ministry of State Security (MSS). Among those charged, two are identified as officers of the MPS, while eight others are linked to a private company named i-Soon, which allegedly specialized in hacking services.
i-Soon reportedly developed tools capable of compromising Gmail and Microsoft Outlook accounts, as well as social media platforms like Twitter. The company allegedly assisted the Chinese government in monitoring public sentiment abroad through a system referred to as the “Public Opinion Guidance and Control Platform.”
Additionally, the last two defendants belong to a group known as APT27, or Silk Typhoon, recognized for targeting healthcare systems and educational institutions. Recent investigations indicate that this group has shifted its focus to IT management software, which was the target of the Treasury hack disclosed in December.
The DOJ claims financial gain motivated the hackers, with the MPS and MSS paying substantial sums for stolen data. i-Soon generated tens of millions of dollars by providing hacking services, charging between $10,000 and $75,000 for each compromised email account.
In various instances, i-Soon executed cyber intrusions at the request of the MPS or MSS, while also conducting independent operations to sell stolen information to multiple Chinese government bureaus. Victims of these attacks include U.S. technology firms, think tanks, law firms, and even local governments.
The U.S. government has announced a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification of those responsible for these cyber activities. Additionally, it offers up to $2 million for information that results in the arrests of the two Silk Typhoon members.
For further details, visit the source: The Verge.