US Disrupts China-Linked Hacking Operation Targeting Sensitive Networks

The US government has disrupted a China-linked hacking operation that targeted sensitive networks, including those of NASA and the Federal Reserve. The Justice Department announced on Wednesday that it had seized two domains used by the hackers since at least 2018.

The domains, QScan and QTRouter, were allegedly run by Nanjing Xinjiuwei Network Technology Company, a China-based firm with ties to China's civilian intelligence agency and military. The platforms were used to find and infect thousands of internet-connected devices, including routers and network equipment, which were then incorporated into the hacking network.

The hackers had successfully breached networks at three Department of Energy laboratories in September 2024, as well as those at NIH, HHS, and a US security-device manufacturer. They also attempted to access NASA networks in August 2019 but were unsuccessful.