Documents related to hacking activities by Chinese cybercriminals have been leaked, showing how widespread and effective China's cyberattacks can be
More than 570 files and documents were posted to the GitHub platform last week, according to the Washington Post . The documents, which track hacking activity in multiple countries, belong to iSoon , a private security contractor allegedly linked to China's Ministry of Public Security.
“We have every reason to believe that this is authentic data from a contractor supporting global and domestic cyberespionage from China,” cybersecurity expert John Hultquist.
See also: Russians, Chinese and Iranians are using AI tools to improve their hacking skills
Chinese police are said to be investigating the leak of the documents.
The leaked files listed at least 20 hacking targets, including countries such as the United Kingdom, India, South Korea, Thailand and Malaysia. According to the files, data was stolen from both foreign governments and telecommunications companies.
Chinese hackers had exploited vulnerabilities in software from well-known companies, such as Microsoft and Google, to carry out their attacks.
See also: Chinese hackers breached Dutch ministry network
The leaked files essentially confirm cybersecurity experts and authorities, who have warned many times about China's hacking attacks and cyberespionage campaigns.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said in October that China was running “the largest hacking program in the world” and stressed that Chinese hackers were behind most thefts of personal and corporate data in the US.
In fact, Wray had emphasized that there are many Chinese hackers and dealing with them is difficult.
“If every FBI cyber agent and intelligence analyst focused solely on the China threat, Chinese hackers would still outnumber FBI by at least 50 to 1,” Wray told lawmakers last month.
See also: Chinese hackers exploit zero-day vulnerabilities in VPNs
China's cyberattacks have proven to be extremely effective, as hackers have managed to breach several security globally. This is evident from the variety of attacks they have committed and the wide range of targets they have attacked.
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China has demonstrated an uncanny ability to adapt and evolve with the speed of technological advances, making it particularly effective in the field of cybercrime. Researchers have observed that Chinese hackers are exploiting new technologies and techniques to carry out more sophisticated attacks.
Additionally, China has demonstrated a remarkable ability to remain stealthy, which increases the effectiveness of attacks . This is especially important in cyberspace, where early detection can be key to preventing and countering attacks.
Finally, China has demonstrated that it can use its hacking activities to achieve a range of strategic goals, from stealing intellectual property to influencing political processes. This demonstrates a broad understanding of the possibilities offered by cyberspace and the ability to exploit them effectively.
Source: www.businessinsider.com
