WASHINGTON (AP) — Twelve Chinese nationals, including mercenary hackers, law enforcement officers and employees of a private hacking company, have been charged in connection with global cybercrime campaigns targeting dissidents, news organizations, U.S. agencies and universities, the Justice Department announced Wednesday. A set of criminal cases filed in New York and Washington add new detail […]
The US has charged 12 Chinese nationals, including hackers and government officials, in a widespread cybercrime campaign targeting dissidents, news organizations, US agencies, and universities. The campaign involved a hacking-for-hire ecosystem where private companies, like I-Soon, were paid by the Chinese government to target individuals and organizations of interest to Beijing, even targeting US entities with the goal of supressing speech and locating dissedents. I-Soon would charge the Chinese government between $10,000 and $75,000 for each email inbox it successfully hacked. China denies the charges, calling them a groundless accusation.
