Washington: US authorities say they have disrupted a major state sponsored Chinese hacking operation that breached several high profile target bodies, including the US Justice Department, NASA, the Federal Reserve, and the US Senate.
The US Department of Justice said on Wednesday that it seized internet domains powering two primary hacking platforms, dubbed “QScan” and “QTRouter”. According to an unsealed court affidavit, the infrastructure had been used since at least 2018 to penetrate sensitive networks and critical infrastructure both across the United States and internationally.
Additional targets named in court filings include the Department of Energy, the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health, and four private entities based in the US and South Korea.
Federal investigators linked the malicious software to Nanjing Xinjiuwei Network Technology Company, a firm based in China. US officials stated the company operates as a contractor providing offensive services to Chinese state entities, including the Ministry of State Security and the People’s Liberation Army.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the operation dismantled a "global botnet and hacking platform used by Chinese state-sponsored hackers to target US critical infrastructure".
Cybersecurity analysts noted that Beijing frequently relies on private tech contractors to execute complex intrusions. Dakota Cary, a China analyst at SentinelOne, observed that the market for commercial offensive cyber services has expanded significantly over the past decade.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment. Beijing consistently denies involvement in state-sanctioned cyberattacks, rejecting allegations of targeting foreign government systems, militaries, or private companies.
