The U.S. revealed on Wednesday that it had disrupted a Chinese cyber attack targeting key government entities such as the Justice Department, NASA, the Federal Reserve, and the Senate. The Justice Department announced the seizure of domains linked to two hacking platforms known as “QScan” and “QTRouter” used in the operation. An affidavit implicated the U.S. Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, and four unnamed U.S. and South Korean companies as victims of the hackers.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not provide an immediate response to requests for comments, a stance consistent with Beijing’s usual denial of involvement in cyber hacking activities. The Justice Department revealed that the hacking platforms were operated by a Chinese company, Nanjing Xinjiuwei Network Technology Company, whose clients included China’s civilian intelligence agency and military.
The affidavit disclosed that the group had been utilizing its computer infrastructure to breach critical networks in the U.S. and globally since at least 2018. Experts noted that private contractors, acting on behalf of Chinese government agencies, are increasingly involved in conducting cyber intrusions.
Dakota Cary, a China analyst at cybersecurity firm SentinelOne, highlighted the surge in companies offering specialized offensive cyber services over the past decade.