Chinese Nationals Indicted in Hacking Investigation

China’s hacking operations are being exposed as the DOJ brings charges against twelve Chinese nationals for cyber espionage tied directly to the Chinese Communist Party. This indictment reveals how China’s government has been systematically targeting American critics and stealing sensitive data while generating millions in profits.

At a glance:

  • U.S. Department of Justice charges 12 Chinese nationals in state-sponsored hacking scheme
  • Accused include two officers from China’s Ministry of Public Security and employees of i-Soon company
  • Hackers targeted U.S. critics of China, religious organizations, and government agencies
  • Operations generated tens of millions, charging up to $75,000 per hacked email inbox
  • Rewards of up to $10 million offered for information on the fugitive hackers

Communist China’s Cyber War Against America

The U.S. Department of Justice has unsealed indictments against twelve Chinese nationals for participating in a massive state-sponsored hacking operation targeting American interests and critics of the Chinese Communist Party. The Justice Department revealed that the defendants include two officers from China’s Ministry of Public Security and employees from a Chinese company called Anxun Information Technology Co. Ltd. (i-Soon).

The hackers, associated with Advanced Persistent Threat 27 (APT27), conducted cyber intrusions at the direct request of China’s Ministry of Public Security and Ministry of State Security from 2016 to 2023. They broke into email accounts, cell phones, servers, and targeted U.S.-based critics of China, religious organizations, Asian foreign ministries, and American government agencies.

According to court documents, the Chinese hacking group generated tens of millions in revenue, charging between $10,000 and $75,000 per compromised email inbox. The i-Soon company trained Ministry of Public Security employees in hacking techniques and sold specialized tools including an “Automated Penetration Testing Platform” capable of compromising Twitter accounts and bypassing multi-factor authentication.

U.S. Government Takes Action Against Chinese Hackers

In response to these cyber threats, the U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice program is offering up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of the Chinese hackers. The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has also announced sanctions against several of the indicted individuals, highlighting the serious nature of these cyber crimes.

Acting Assistant Director in Charge Leslie R. Backschies of the FBI stated: “The charges announced today expose the PRC’s continued attempts to spy on and silence anyone it deems threatening to the Chinese Communist Party.”

China Denies Accusations While Evidence Mounts

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has rejected the indictments as “groundless” and attempted to deflect blame. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian claimed: “The U.S. is the Number One ‘hacking empire’ in the world. We call on the U.S. to ditch its double standards and stop framing China.”

Evidence presented by the DOJ shows that i-Soon conducted intrusions at the request of Chinese intelligence agencies and sold stolen data to various Chinese government bureaus. The company’s software was capable of compromising social media accounts, bypassing security measures, and manipulating online content, creating a powerful tool for China’s ongoing campaigns of transnational repression and espionage.

The indictment reveals that these hackers were allowed to profit by selling stolen data through Chinese data brokers, demonstrating how China offers safe harbor for cybercriminals who target American interests.

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