The Chinese hacker attack also affected the US Department of Commerce

US officials have stated that a cyberattack originating from China targeted several US federal institutions, including the Department of State and the Department of Commerce.

The giant IT group Microsoft mentioned that the hacking operation specifically targeted email accounts of several federal agencies, pointing to a party called "Microsoft + StorM-0558" based in China.

Microsoft did not disclose the specific targets, but a spokesperson for the US Department of State indicated on Wednesday that their department was affected by the attack. The spokesperson stated, "The Department of State detected unusual activity and took immediate steps to secure our information systems. We will continue to closely monitor the situation," without providing further details.

"On the cybersecurity front, we do not disclose our response, and an investigation into the incident has been opened," the spokesperson added.

The Washington Post reported that the compromised email accounts were not classified, and it does not appear that the attack impacted the Pentagon, US Department of Defense, or intelligence or military institutions.

However, the daily newspaper revealed on Wednesday evening, citing unnamed US officials, that the email account of US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo was affected by the attack.

The US Department of Commerce has imposed trade restrictions on China, particularly in high technology, which has provoked Beijing's anger.

Jake Sullivan, the advisor to US President Joe Biden for National Security, spoke about the hacking activity in an interview with ABC News, describing it as "relatively rapid surveillance." He said, "We were able to avoid further vulnerabilities."

This new cyberattack comes as Washington and Beijing, fierce rivals, have resumed high-level communications after months of tension.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Beijing last month, and on Thursday, he will meet with Wang Yi, the head of the Communist Party's Foreign Affairs Committee, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in Jakarta.

Charlie Bell, Executive Vice President of Microsoft, wrote in a blog, "Based on our estimations, this adversary focuses on espionage by attempting to access email messages to obtain sensitive information."

Microsoft also stated that it opened an investigation regarding "unusual activities related to email messages" on June 16, revealing that this investigation allowed the detection of prior incidents that occurred on May 15.

The same source explained that hackers "primarily target Western government agencies, focusing on espionage and data theft."

At the end of May, the United States and its Western allies, along with Microsoft, denounced a "sophisticated state-sponsored cyber-actor" sponsored by China that had breached networks of vital facilities in the United States.

Beijing denied any involvement and accused the United States of "fabricating misinformation."

Senator Mark Warner, Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, stated, "It is clear that China is heavily focused on improving its capabilities in gathering targeted information against the United States and our allies."

 

AFP