Chinese hackers accused of attacking critical US network infrastructure

The US accused a group of Chinese hackers of attacking and penetrating Washington's important network infrastructure, with the main purpose of collecting intelligence.

The US National Security Agency (NSA) on May 24 released a report on cyberattacks by Volt Typhoon, a Chinese hacker group that focuses primarily on espionage and intelligence gathering. The report said that NSA's private partners had discovered that the attacks had affected critical infrastructure networks across the US.

Previously, Microsoft Corporation issued a warning about secret malware attacks targeting US infrastructure conducted by Volt Typhoon. Microsoft said that the Volt Typhoon group has been active since mid-2021, affecting infrastructure in almost every important sector of the US, including communications, transportation, maritime, and even government organizations.

The hacker group also compromised "critical communications infrastructure between the US and Asia," through a vulnerability in FortiGuard.

Among the targets was communications infrastructure in Guam, the US military response center in the event of conflict in the Taiwan Strait. US intelligence agencies first learned of the cyberattack in February, around the same time a Chinese balloon was shot down over US airspace.

Microsoft logo displayed on laptop screen, March 23. Photo: AFP

The attack appears to be ongoing. According to Microsoft, the hackers are not seeking to disrupt US infrastructure networks, but rather “intend to conduct espionage and maintain undetected access for as long as possible.”

Microsoft has urged affected customers to “close or change the login information for any compromised accounts.” The NSA also detailed how the attack worked and how cybersecurity teams should respond.

China has not commented on the allegations made by Microsoft and the NSA.

Recently, both China and the US have accused each other of conducting cyber attacks against each other.

Earlier this month, Beijing accused the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of using its technological advantage to run a “hacking empire” in a number of countries, including China. Previously, the US also blamed China for widespread industrial espionage against US companies.

Duc Trung (According to CNBC )

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