Is China behind global cyberattacks? US reveals key details
What's the story
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged 12 Chinese nationals, including law enforcement officers and private hacking firm employees, for conducting worldwide cybercrime operations.
Reportedly, these operations targeted dissidents, news organizations, US agencies, and universities.
The DOJ claims these activities are part of a rapidly growing "hacking-for-hire" industry in China, where private contractors are allegedly contracted by the Chinese government to target specific victims of interest to Beijing.
Contracted attacks
Chinese government allegedly contracted private firms for cyberattacks
The DOJ's allegations against the Chinese government indicate that it has been hiring private firms for cyberattacks.
This, the DOJ says, gives cover and deniability to Chinese state security forces.
The indictments come as the US government has been warning about an escalating cyber threat from China.
Last year's hack of telecom firms, called Salt Typhoon, gave Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans.
Cyber breaches
Indictment reveals extensive cyber breaches by I-Soon
One of the indictments charges eight leaders and employees of a private hacking company called I-Soon with conducting extensive computer breaches across the globe.
These breaches were allegedly conducted to suppress speech, locate dissidents, and steal data from victims.
Wu Haibo, who founded I-Soon in Shanghai in 2010, is among those charged and accused of overseeing and directing these hacking operations.
Targeted groups
I-Soon targeted Chinese dissidents, religious groups, media outlets
The indictment sheds new light on I-Soon's operations. It indicates the company targeted a broad spectrum of Chinese dissidents, religious organizations, and US-based media outlets critical of the Chinese Communist Party.
While the targets were sometimes directed by China's Ministry of Public Security, in other cases, the hackers operated on their own and tried selling the stolen information back to the government later.
Denial
Chinese embassy denies allegations, calls them a "smear"
Meanwhile, a representative from the Chinese Embassy in Washington denied the allegations, calling them a "smear."
Liu Pengyu, the embassy's spokesperson said they hope that relevant parties will adopt a professional and responsible attitude and base their characterization of cyber incidents on sufficient evidence rather than groundless speculation and accusations.
The statement comes amid growing concerns over China's alleged involvement in global cybercrime activities.