NASA, US Senate, Federal Reserve Targeted By Chinese Hackers In Major Cyberattack
US law enforcement has seized internet domains allegedly used by Chinese state-sponsored hackers to target critical infrastructure across the country, including NASA, the Federal Reserve and the US Senate, the US Justice Department said. The hacking platforms, known as QScan and QTRouter, enabled the hackers to infiltrate several US government institutions, including the National Institutes of…
US law enforcement has dismantled a Chinese state-sponsored hacking operation that targeted critical infrastructure, including NASA, the Federal Reserve, and the US Senate, according to a statement from the Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The hacking platforms, called QScan and QTRouter, were operated by a group known as QTFY, which provides computer hacking services to clients, including China's Ministry of State Security and the People’s Liberation Army.
The Justice Department revealed that QTFY was employed by the Nanjing Xinjiuwei Network Technology Company, a Chinese technology firm. Apart from government institutions, the hackers also targeted private-sector infrastructure, such as hospitals, universities, telecommunications providers, power companies, financial institutions, and defense contractors.
The hacking platforms worked by searching for and automatically infecting thousands of internet-connected devices worldwide, incorporating them into QTRouter, a network controlled by the hacking group. The network relied on commercial proxy services and leased virtual private servers, allowing hackers to conceal their Chinese origin.
The seized domains were crucial for communication, authentication, and other functions, and their seizure rendered QScan and QTRouter inoperable.
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