US Prosecutes Chinese Nationals for Alleged Hacking of Dissidents

The U.S. Justice Department has unveiled charges against twelve Chinese nationals connected to a state-sponsored hacking operation that targeted U.S. dissidents, government agencies, and an American religious organization. The accused allegedly sold stolen data to Chinese authorities while conducting operations under the guise of a private company.

US prosecutors have laid charges against 12 Chinese nationals allegedly involved in a hacking scheme that sold sensitive information of U.S. dissidents to the Chinese government. This operation, described as "state-sponsored" by the Department of Justice (DOJ), reportedly also aimed at government agencies including the U.S. Treasury.

According to the DOJ, the hackers are accused of breaching an American religious organization and a Hong Kong newspaper viewed as critical of the Chinese government. Although China has yet to officially respond to these new accusations, it has historically denied involvement in similar allegations and labeled them as "baseless." In a December report, the Treasury Department highlighted a significant breach by Chinese-connected hackers, claiming they gained access to employee workstations and unclassified documents.

The DOJ did not disclose the exact date of the charges but noted they were made public in a federal court in Manhattan on a Wednesday. Among those charged, two are identified as officers from China's Ministry of Public Security.

The DOJ claims that the hacking group operated under the auspices of a private company, i-Soon, allegedly charging Chinese agencies between $10,000 and $75,000 for each compromised email account. They reportedly "conducted computer intrusions" both on behalf of the Chinese ministries and independently, profiting substantially from the stolen information.

Sue J Bai, head of the DOJ's National Security Division, emphasized the need to expose Chinese government agents who orchestrate reckless cyber-attacks globally. She reaffirmed the commitment to dismantling the "ecosystem of cyber mercenaries" threatening U.S. national security.

Details about the specific U.S.-based dissidents targeted have not been released; however, the religious organization involved is noted for having sent missionaries to China and criticizing the People's Republic of China (PRC). The hackers also targeted foreign ministries from nations like Taiwan, India, South Korea, and Indonesia.

Past reports from the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency indicated that hacks targeting major U.S. presidential campaigns were linked to actors affiliated with the PRC. Last year, several Chinese nationals faced charges for running a long-standing hacking operation aimed at foreign critics of China. Cyber operations attributed to China also impacted the UK’s Electoral Commission and parliament in New Zealand, highlighting the extensive scope of these cyber assaults.