The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) recently confirmed that it authorized the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to hack thousands of US computers to prevent Chinese malware from taking over. This saidChinese malware is already considered one of the most dangerous there is, and the American authorities were able to foil their massive plans because of the said hack.
Moreover, the Chinese group behind the said malware was discovered to be state-backed entities that have this significant power, and it has long brought malware against victims in different countries worldwide.
DOJ Confirms The FBI’s Hacking of Thousands of US Computers
The Justice Department recently announced that the international operation to fight against Chinese state-backed hackers was successful, with this requiring massive access against thousands of US computers to combat the malware. The DOJ and the FBI regarded that the group behind the attack was identified as ‘Twill Typhoon’ or ‘Mustang Panda,’ which have massive ties to the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
The said group is known for being a China state-backed entity, with their operations already running for over a decade, with their actions regarded as already running their attacks for years on end.
According to US Attorney Jacqueline Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, “This wide-ranging hack and long-term infection of thousands of Windows-based computers, including many home computers in the United States, demonstrates the recklessness and aggressiveness of PRC state-sponsored hackers.”
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FBI Hack Wants to Protect Against Chinese Malware, PlugX
The Justice Department granted the FBI its court-authorized operation against the Chinese malware known as “PlugX” back in August 2024, and the law enforcement authorities sifted through thousands of US computers to delete the threat. PlugX was discovered as early as 2012, with the Chinese hackers behind it have already been using the malware since 2014.
According to the FBI, it worked on deleting the malware from over 4,000 Windows-based computers, further regarding that PlugX is capable of taking over a computer to steal the files and share them with the right people over in China.
China’s State-Backed Hackers vs. The World
China is among the top notorious names tied to some of the biggest hacks and illegal access to computers, as well as other electronic devices, over the years alongside their neighbor, Russia. In the last year alone, the East Asian superpower was linked or claimed to be the mastermind behind massive cyber threats, with a state-backed group called Volt Typhoon regarded to have infiltrated US industries for five years now.
One of the top reasons why there were massive hacks or attempts to access US infrastructures and renowned personalities was because of the 2024 US elections which many believed to be the threat actors’ top targets. After Donald J. Trump claimed that he was the target of Iranian hackers, the FBI was able to link Salt Typhoon, a notorious Chinese threat group, to telco infrastructure access in the country.
A majority of the most successful and infamous hackers in the tech industry were from China, among other nationalities, regarded as state-backed entities that have the means and resources to enact their attacks. The Chinese malware which has been regarded as one of the most notorious has been thwarted by the FBI, and even if it required hacking into thousands of American computers, it was a small price to pay to prevent worse things from happening.
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