Feds charge two Chinese hackers linked to Beijing
WASHINGTON – Federal authorities unsealed charges Thursday against two Chinese nationals linked to the Beijing government as part of a
12-year global hacking campaign that breached U.S. military, government and business systems.
Both suspects, who worked for the Chinese company Huaying Haiti in association with China’s Ministry of State, are accused of targeting laboratories within NASA, the Department of Energy and the U.S. Navy.
The Navy breach included theft of personal information – Social Security numbers and birth dates – of more than
100,000 service members.
“It is unacceptable that we continue to uncover cybercrime committed by China,” Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said. “We want China to cease illegal cyberactivities and honor its commitment to the international community, but the evidence suggests that China may not intend to live up to its promises.”
The suspects, identified as Zhu Hua and Zhang Shilong, were charged with computer intrusion, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in the massive operation, which compromised databases across 12 countries. In addition to the U.S. government entities, 45 technology companies in at least a dozen states were targeted, prosecutors said.
“We are deeply concerned about American innovation ending up in the wrong hands,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said. “This is conduct that hurts Americans. ... No country should be able to flout the rule of law.”
The suspects, according to court documents, were linked to the entity
APT10 Group, which sought access to technology from an array of industries, including aviation, automotive, maritime and satellite concerns.