U.S Government Sanctions Chinese Hackers

The DOJ issued a press release issuing sanctions on seven Chinese hackers accused for espionage. The defendants are Ni Gaobin, Weng Ming, Cheng Feng, Peng Yaowen, Sun Xiaohui, Xiong, who reside in the People’s Republic of China and are part of APT31. APT31 is a group of hackers with ties to the Chinese Ministry of State Security’s Transnational Repression, Economic Espionage, and Foreign Intelligence Objectives.

The Defendants are accused of performing computer intrusions and fraud under the direction of the PRC for 14 years against America. According to the DOJ, APT31 is responsible for 10,000 malicious emails that impacted thousands of victims across the globe. APT31 is responsible for targeting U.S. government Officials, Academics, and Foreign diplomats who criticize the PRC and voice opposition to the PRC’s policies. The mission of APT31 was to silence dissidents, comprise government institutions and steal trade secrets. In the wake of the indictment, the UK and the U.S. have placed sanctions on China for cyber attacks.

According to U.S News and World Report, the U.S. government put cyber-security sanctions on Wuhan Xiaoruizhi, Science And Technology Company Ltd, a Chinese-based lab. Chinese Ministry of State Security’s Transnational Repression, Economic Espionage, and Foreign Intelligence Objectives created Wuhan Xiaoruizhi Science and technology as a front to carry out its cyber-espionage operations.

The DOJ stated that

• Cheng Feng, Sun Xiaohui, Weng Ming, Xiong Wang, and Zhao Guangzong were involved in testing and exploiting malware, including malware used in some of these intrusions.
• Cheng and Ni Gaobin managed infrastructure associated with some of these intrusions, including the domain name for a command-and-control server that accessed at least 59 unique victim computers, including a telecommunications company that was a leading provider of 5G network equipment in the United States, an Alabama-based research corporation in the aerospace and defense industries, and a Maryland-based professional support services company.
• Sun and Weng operated the infrastructure used in an intrusion into a U.S. company known for its public opinion polls. Sun and Peng Yaowen conducted research and reconnaissance on several additional U.S. entities that were later the victims of the APT31 Group’s intrusion campaigns.
• Ni and Zhao sent emails with links to files containing malware to PRC dissidents, specifically Hong Kong legislators and democracy advocates, as well as targeting U.S. entities focusing on PRC-related issues.

After a 14 year reign of terror these individuals the DOJ brought these criminals to justice. This incident highlights Chinese dedication to using cyberattacks to weaken the infrastructure of its neighbors and silence its critics. The DOJ is concerned that China might attempt to interfere in the U.S elections this year.