Documents have been uncovered showing how China uses private hackers for cyber espionage.
Last week, the network published documents revealing how the Chinese government collaborates with private hackers to obtain confidential information from foreign governments and companies.
The hackers worked for the private security firm I-Soon, which is part of a network of hired spies working closely with Beijing.
The leak revealed how China's leading surveillance agency, the Ministry of Public Security, is increasingly recruiting contractors to attack government targets and private companies as part of a cyber espionage campaign in Asia. This could increase concerns among leaders in Washington, who have warned of similar attacks in the United States.
The leak also included internal discussions at I-Soon, reflecting the company's busy work environment and efforts to market its services to the government. I-Soon is one of hundreds of private companies supporting China's hacking efforts by selling spy services and stolen data.
Cybersecurity experts consider the documents authentic. It is unclear who exactly is behind the information leak and what its motives are.
U.S. officials have long accused China of orchestrating hacks on American companies and government agencies, warnings of which are growing stronger as tech firms rush to develop artificial intelligence. The increased attention has led Silicon Valley venture capitalists to withdraw from investing in Chinese startups.
Last week, the network published documents revealing how the Chinese government collaborates with private hackers to obtain confidential information from foreign governments and companies.
The hackers worked for the private security firm I-Soon, which is part of a network of hired spies working closely with Beijing.
The leak revealed how China's leading surveillance agency, the Ministry of Public Security, is increasingly recruiting contractors to attack government targets and private companies as part of a cyber espionage campaign in Asia. This could increase concerns among leaders in Washington, who have warned of similar attacks in the United States.
What was disclosed in the documents?
I-Soon has targeted telecom companies, online casinos, and local governments across Asia. Hackers managed to obtain confidential information, including:- records from a Vietnamese airline, with passenger data;
- personal information from accounts on platforms such as Telegram and Facebook;
- access to the closed website of the Vietnam Traffic Police;
- software for conducting disinformation campaigns and hacking accounts in X.
The leak also included internal discussions at I-Soon, reflecting the company's busy work environment and efforts to market its services to the government. I-Soon is one of hundreds of private companies supporting China's hacking efforts by selling spy services and stolen data.
How was the information sold?
I-Soon billed the Chinese government anywhere from $ 15,000 for accessing the closed website of the Vietnam Traffic Police to $ 278,000 for accessing personal information from social media sites. China has a long history of suppressing dissidents among its citizens through surveillance. The leaks were made public on GitHub, a software platform where programmers share code. Important information has already been leaked on this forum, including the source code from X.Cybersecurity experts consider the documents authentic. It is unclear who exactly is behind the information leak and what its motives are.
What does this mean for other countries?
The leaked materials provide a rare glimpse into how China's Ministry of State Security relies on private companies to carry out its espionage operations.U.S. officials have long accused China of orchestrating hacks on American companies and government agencies, warnings of which are growing stronger as tech firms rush to develop artificial intelligence. The increased attention has led Silicon Valley venture capitalists to withdraw from investing in Chinese startups.
