The case concerns a cyber breach perpetrated in early December. Hackers gained access to government employees’ workstations and unclassified documents.
Beijing rejects US accusations of masterminding the cyber attack on the US Treasury Department. “We have repeatedly expressed our position regarding the unfounded and unproven accusations,” said ministry spokesman Mao Ning, adding that china “has always opposed any form of hacker attack.”
The incident involves a cyber breach that occurred in early December. Hackers gained access to government employees’ workstations and unclassified documents. Initial reports suggest it was an espionage operation, not an attempt to introduce malicious software. The Treasury Department said it was notified on December 8 by a third-party software services company, BeyondTrust.
Typically, attributing a sophisticated attack requires complex analysis and can take a long time. However, based on available indicators, the incident has currently been attributed to a Chinese state-sponsored Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) actor. The Treasury Department is also responsible for enforcing any sanctions imposed against Chinese companies.
Earlier this year, Chinese intelligence hacked email accounts used by Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo as she was making decisions about new export controls for advanced semiconductors. In recent months, a series of revelations have shown how a Chinese intelligence group called Salt Typhoon has penetrated the systems of at least nine U.S telecommunications companies.https://youtu.be/jZ1zpbKydyE?si=5xhloRamuESwRNwh