Chinese hackers infiltrated US sanctions department, reports WaPo
US officials are said to believe that the attackers aimed to gather information on companies facing imminent sanctions. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
**Beijing Denies Involvement in Alleged Cyberattack**
Chinese hackers reportedly targeted the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control in a significant incident that occurred last month, as reported by the Washington Post on Wednesday.
The Treasury informed US lawmakers about the cyberattack in a letter dated December 30, attributing the breach to “a China state-sponsored Advanced Persistent Threat actor.” The breach was said to have happened on December 8, although the department did not specify which offices were affected or the nature of the stolen files, only noting that “certain unclassified documents” were removed in a “major incident.”
The Washington Post indicated that the hackers aimed their efforts at the Office of Foreign Asset Control and the office of Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Anonymous US officials mentioned to the newspaper that the hackers were likely seeking information related to potential sanctions against certain Chinese entities.
President Joe Biden has imposed sanctions on numerous Chinese firms for allegedly supplying ‘dual use’ goods—components that have military and civilian applications—to the Russian military. Both Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump, have also taken action against Chinese telecom companies over claims of espionage and have implemented export controls on specific equipment used by Chinese semiconductor manufacturers.
In response to the allegations, Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, stated on Tuesday that Beijing views these accusations as “unfounded” and lacking in evidence. “China has always opposed all forms of hacker attacks, and we are even more opposed to the spread of false information against China for political purposes,” Mao added.
This alleged cyberattack occurred shortly after US authorities charged a Beijing-linked hacking group known as ‘Salt Typhoon’ with breaching the systems of nine US telecom companies. Reports suggest that within these systems, the hackers monitored calls and messages from Trump and his campaign team and gathered surveillance data that these companies were storing for American law enforcement agencies.
The Chinese embassy in Washington, DC, has denied the allegations.
Allen M Lee contributed to this report for TROIB News
Chinese hackers reportedly targeted the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control in a significant incident that occurred last month, as reported by the Washington Post on Wednesday.
The Treasury informed US lawmakers about the cyberattack in a letter dated December 30, attributing the breach to “a China state-sponsored Advanced Persistent Threat actor.” The breach was said to have happened on December 8, although the department did not specify which offices were affected or the nature of the stolen files, only noting that “certain unclassified documents” were removed in a “major incident.”
The Washington Post indicated that the hackers aimed their efforts at the Office of Foreign Asset Control and the office of Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Anonymous US officials mentioned to the newspaper that the hackers were likely seeking information related to potential sanctions against certain Chinese entities.
President Joe Biden has imposed sanctions on numerous Chinese firms for allegedly supplying ‘dual use’ goods—components that have military and civilian applications—to the Russian military. Both Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump, have also taken action against Chinese telecom companies over claims of espionage and have implemented export controls on specific equipment used by Chinese semiconductor manufacturers.
In response to the allegations, Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, stated on Tuesday that Beijing views these accusations as “unfounded” and lacking in evidence. “China has always opposed all forms of hacker attacks, and we are even more opposed to the spread of false information against China for political purposes,” Mao added.
This alleged cyberattack occurred shortly after US authorities charged a Beijing-linked hacking group known as ‘Salt Typhoon’ with breaching the systems of nine US telecom companies. Reports suggest that within these systems, the hackers monitored calls and messages from Trump and his campaign team and gathered surveillance data that these companies were storing for American law enforcement agencies.
The Chinese embassy in Washington, DC, has denied the allegations.
Allen M Lee contributed to this report for TROIB News
