Chinese Hackers Hacked 100s of US Treasury’s Devices And Expose 3000 Files

In a recent major cybersecurity incident, hackers linked to the Chinese government gained access to many systems within the US Department of Treasury.

This included the computers of key officials like Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and her deputies.

This breach comes at a time when the US is dealing with increasing threats from Chinese hackers.

Chinese Hackers Access 100s of US Treasury's Devices

The ongoing ‘Salt Typhoon’ cyberattack has already compromised several US telecommunications services, putting sensitive information of many Americans, including Vice President Kamala Harris and President-elect Donald Trump, at risk.

Reports indicate that around 400 computers in the Treasury were hacked, including those belonging to Yellen, Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo, and Acting Under Secretary Brad Smith.

The hackers took advantage of a weakness in a third-party software provided by BeyondTrust, which the department used for remote access.

It is believed that hackers accessed about 50 files from Yellen’s computer.

Their focus seems to be on the Treasury’s involvement in sanctions, intelligence, and international matters, although they did not breach the department’s email or classified systems, according to an internal report.

Investigators have linked the attack to Chinese state-sponsored groups known as Silk Typhoon and UNC5221.

Overall, the hackers accessed employee usernames, passwords, and over 3,000 files from unclassified personal devices.

The hackers also obtained sensitive information related to law enforcement and ongoing investigations by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, which assesses the national security risks of foreign investments.

BeyondTrust informed the Treasury about the breach on December 8, prompting the department to alert the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and involve the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

In the past, Chinese hackers have exploited weaknesses in third-party systems to infiltrate the devices of high-ranking US officials.

Earlier in 2023, they accessed the email accounts or devices of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and other officials, using flaws in Microsoft’s software to steal emails from US government agencies and other clients.

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