US senators urge Trump administration to act against 3 India-based cyber firms over data theft allegations

Three India-based cyber firms - Sunkissed Organic Pvt Ltd, BellTrox Ltd and CyberRoot Ltd - are being accused of hacking and stealing data from thousands of Americans and U.S. businesses. Senators Ron Wyden, Sheldon Whitehouse and Pat Harrigan have urged Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to take action against these companies. Investigations by Reuters and The Citizen Lab revealed widespread hacking campaigns targeting private equity firms, pharmaceutical companies and over 1,000 attorneys from major U.S. law firms.

The alleged operations were aimed at obtaining sensitive information to influence or manipulate U.S. litigation. The senators also pointed out that the groups operated at the direction of the Qatari government, targeting individuals opposed to Qatar's World Cup bid and members of a former Republican chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

These cyber mercenaries have engaged in aggressive global lawfare, attempting to censor investigative reporting and suppress media coverage of their alleged hacking activities. The bipartisan senators have called for the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security to place the three companies on the U.S. Entity List, which could restrict their access to American technology and limit their ability to conduct further cyber operations targeting Americans and U.S. companies.