US Charges 12 Chinese Nationals in International Hacking Operation
US prosecutors have charged 12 Chinese nationals for participating in an alleged hacking scheme that sold the data of US-based dissidents to the Chinese government. According to the Justice Department (DOJ), this "state-sponsored" operation targeted government agencies, including the US Treasury, an American religious organization critical of China, and a Hong Kong newspaper considered opposed to the Chinese government. The charges, unsealed in a Manhattan federal court on Wednesday, include two officers from China's Ministry of Public Security. The hackers, appearing to represent a private company called i-Soon, allegedly charged Chinese agencies between $10,000 and $75,000 for each "exploited" email inbox. "Today, we are exposing the Chinese government agents directing and fostering indiscriminate and reckless attacks against computers and networks worldwide," said Sue J Bai, who heads the DOJ's National Security Division. The hackers reportedly conducted computer intrusions both under […]