FBI says it seized phishing tools used by Chinese hackers in ‘indiscriminate and reckless’ cyber operation

The FBI and Justice Department seized scanning and phishing tools used by a Chinese government-affiliated hacking group known as Flax Typhoon. The tools, dubbed "Microscan" and "FishHub," were instrumental in scanning, phish and hacking targets such as U.S. power companies, Japanese and Polish airports, Taiwanese universities, and critical infrastructure companies.

The operation has rendered the tools inoperable, according to an FBI official, crippling the hacking campaign. The group, linked to Integrity Technology Group, was responsible for a massive botnet that infected over 200,000 consumer devices in September 2024, used to steal sensitive information. FBI officials vowed to continue monitoring the company for potential recovery and disruption of its operations in China.