US Disrupts Chinese Hacking Operation Targeting Sensitive Government Agencies
The United States has disrupted a Chinese hacking operation that breached several sensitive government agencies, including the Justice Department, NASA, and the Federal Reserve. The hackers also targeted other US government agencies such as the Department of Energy, the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health, and four unnamed companies in the US and South Korea.
The Justice Department said it had seized domains used by two hacking platforms, dubbed 'QScan' and 'QTRouter,' which were allegedly run by a China-based firm called Nanjing Xinjiuwei Network Technology Company. The firm's clients include China's civilian intelligence agency, the Ministry of State Security, and its military, the People's Liberation Army.
Experts who follow Chinese cyber activity say that private contractors often carry out high-profile intrusions on behalf of various Chinese government agencies. Dakota Cary, a China analyst with cybersecurity company SentinelOne, noted that 'over the last decade, the number of companies offering niche offensive services has exploded.'