Ahead of Xi Jinping's Visit to the U.S., Government Says It Detected and Blocked Chinese Hacking Operations

[Financial News] The United States government said it had uncovered and disrupted a large-scale cyberattack carried out by hackers linked to Chinese authorities while concealing the source of the attacks. Investigators found that federal agencies and Congress were among the targets. Reports also said that Korean companies were on the list of victims.
On the 26th local time, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said they had "seized the hacking platforms used by hackers linked to Chinese authorities to attack critical U.S. infrastructure." The move involved seizing domains used by two hacking platforms known as 'Q-SCAN' and 'Q-TRouter.' The platforms were operated by a China-based company called Nanjing Xinzhuwei Network Technology, whose clients included the Chinese military and the Ministry of State Security of the People's Republic of China.
Federal agencies including the DOJ, the Department of Energy and the Ministry of Health and Welfare were targeted, along with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Federal Reserve System (Fed), the Senate and U.S. military networks. Hospitals, power companies and defense contractors were also said to have been affected. Citing an FBI official, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that "institutions and devices in more than 130 countries were targeted." British media also reported that the targets included four unnamed companies in the United States and South Korea.
U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said, "Malicious hackers who attack critical U.S. infrastructure with state support will be stopped and punished." He added, "We will ensure the safety of the American people, and we will use every tool available to do so."
The announcement drew attention because it came about a month before Xi Jinping's visit to the United States. If U.S. officials judge that a matter could burden the U.S.-China Summit, they may delay an announcement. Since they did not do so this time, observers say Donald Trump may raise China's cyberattacks with Xi.
In an interview with Fox News on the same day, Blanche was asked whether Trump would mention the hacking issue to Xi during the visit. He replied, "I am not going to tell President Trump what he should discuss," adding, "This is an issue we have discussed with China for a long time, and it is something that must now stop."
[email protected] Hong Chaewan Reporter