Chinese hackers hit US software, law firms in cyber campaign
What's the story
A group of suspected Chinese hackers has targeted US software developers and law firms in a sophisticated intelligence-gathering campaign, cybersecurity firm Mandiant has revealed. The attacks have been rampant in recent weeks, targeting cloud-computing companies that many American businesses rely on to store sensitive data. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the breaches, but the full extent of the hacks is still being assessed by US officials.
Attack details
Hackers have stolen proprietary software from US tech firms
The hackers have stolen proprietary software from US tech firms and exploited it to discover new vulnerabilities, allowing them to penetrate deeper into networks, according to Mandiant. In some cases, they have remained undetected in US corporate networks for over a year, quietly gathering intelligence. This revelation comes after the Trump administration intensified America's trade war with China by imposing unprecedented tariffs on Chinese exports earlier this year.
Breach aftermath
Repercussions of breaches could take months
Mandiant analysts have warned that the repercussions of these breaches, removing the hackers and assessing damage, could take months. They compared it to a major hack, similar in scale and sophistication to Russia's use of SolarWinds software to breach US government agencies in 2020. Charles Carmakal, Mandiant's Chief Technology Officer, said "the suspected Chinese hackers are very active right now" and many organizations may be compromised without their knowledge.
Espionage targets
Law firms have been targeted by hackers
Law firms have been targeted by hackers due to their involvement in helping government and corporate clients navigate trade and national security disputes. Earlier this summer, suspected Chinese hackers breached the email accounts of attorneys at Washington, DC-based firm Wiley Rein. The FBI has said China's cyber operatives outnumber all FBI agents by at least 50 to 1.