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Chinese hackers APT31, allegedly linked to the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS), attacked computer networks, email, and cloud storage of government agencies, companies, and individuals, including critical US infrastructure, American businesses, politicians, and their political parties, according to the US and UK authorities.
In particular, the UK said that APT31 tried to hack the emails of British parliamentarians in 2021. In addition, the British authorities believe that Chinese agents gained access to the data of the UK Election Commission between 2021 and 2022, stealing emails and data from the voter register.
The US has indicted seven alleged APT31 members. Washington also announced a reward of up to $10 million for information that will help apprehend suspects.
According to the indictment, hackers have been conducting large-scale campaigns around the world since 2010, spying on networks and accounts of interest to Beijing. The attacks targeted journalists, human rights defenders, foreign policy experts, academics, employees of IT companies, telecommunications companies, manufacturing and trading companies, financial organizations, consulting agencies, law firms, research institutes, as well as government officials and politicians who were critical of the Chinese government.
The prosecution alleges that hackers stole trade secrets and personal data. They sent out emails allegedly from well-known American journalists containing malicious links. When clicking on these links, information about their location, IP addresses, networks and devices was stolen from victims.
Among the targets of APT31, according to US data, are employees of the White House, the Departments of Justice, Commerce, Finance, the Secretary of State, Labor and Transportation, members of Congress, the spouses of high-ranking officials of the Department of Justice and the White House, as well as several US senators.
Outside the United States, the attacks targeted members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), dissidents and academics critical of the Chinese government, as well as 43 accounts of the British Parliament.
As an example, the prosecution cites the hacking in 2016 of an American defense contractor on Long Island. Hackers used a zero-day vulnerability to break into the network and steal data.
Another example was the intrusion into the networks of seven MSP providers in the United States and abroad from 2017 to 2019. Having gained access to the systems, hackers were able to hack into the servers of organizations clients. Companies from various industries were affected, including a leading supplier of equipment for 5G networks in the United States, a steel company, a clothing manufacturer from New York, an engineering company from California, an energy company in Texas and many others.
In particular, the UK said that APT31 tried to hack the emails of British parliamentarians in 2021. In addition, the British authorities believe that Chinese agents gained access to the data of the UK Election Commission between 2021 and 2022, stealing emails and data from the voter register.
The US has indicted seven alleged APT31 members. Washington also announced a reward of up to $10 million for information that will help apprehend suspects.
According to the indictment, hackers have been conducting large-scale campaigns around the world since 2010, spying on networks and accounts of interest to Beijing. The attacks targeted journalists, human rights defenders, foreign policy experts, academics, employees of IT companies, telecommunications companies, manufacturing and trading companies, financial organizations, consulting agencies, law firms, research institutes, as well as government officials and politicians who were critical of the Chinese government.
The prosecution alleges that hackers stole trade secrets and personal data. They sent out emails allegedly from well-known American journalists containing malicious links. When clicking on these links, information about their location, IP addresses, networks and devices was stolen from victims.
Among the targets of APT31, according to US data, are employees of the White House, the Departments of Justice, Commerce, Finance, the Secretary of State, Labor and Transportation, members of Congress, the spouses of high-ranking officials of the Department of Justice and the White House, as well as several US senators.
Outside the United States, the attacks targeted members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), dissidents and academics critical of the Chinese government, as well as 43 accounts of the British Parliament.
As an example, the prosecution cites the hacking in 2016 of an American defense contractor on Long Island. Hackers used a zero-day vulnerability to break into the network and steal data.
Another example was the intrusion into the networks of seven MSP providers in the United States and abroad from 2017 to 2019. Having gained access to the systems, hackers were able to hack into the servers of organizations clients. Companies from various industries were affected, including a leading supplier of equipment for 5G networks in the United States, a steel company, a clothing manufacturer from New York, an engineering company from California, an energy company in Texas and many others.
