U.S. Disrupts Chinese Hacking Campaign Targeting Justice Department, NASA, Federal Reserve and Senat

The Justice Department said Wednesday that U.S. authorities seized internet domains tied to two hacking platforms used in a Chinese cyber campaign that breached several sensitive federal agencies, including the Justice Department, NASA, the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Senate.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom.

U.S. authorities said Wednesday they had disrupted a Chinese cyber operation that successfully penetrated several prominent federal institutions, including the Justice Department, NASA, the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Senate.

The Justice Department announced that investigators seized internet domains associated with two hacking platforms identified as “QScan” and “QTRouter.”

According to the department, both platforms were used as part of the wider cyber campaign targeting U.S. government networks.

The operation reached agencies and institutions handling some of the federal government’s most sensitive responsibilities, spanning law enforcement, space operations, monetary policy and Congress.

The Justice Department said its own systems were among those breached during the campaign. NASA, the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Senate also were targeted successfully, according to the government’s announcement.

Federal officials did not provide additional details in the information released Wednesday about what information the hackers may have accessed, how long the intrusions persisted or the full number of government organizations affected.

The seizure of the QScan and QTRouter domains was intended to disrupt infrastructure allegedly used by the hackers to conduct the campaign.

The Justice Department attributed the operation to Chinese hackers.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment following the U.S. announcement.

Beijing has routinely denied accusations that it is responsible for cyberattacks attributed to China by the United States and other governments.

Wednesday’s action marks the latest U.S. effort to dismantle infrastructure allegedly being used in Chinese cyber operations against American government networks.

While the domain seizures may interfere with the specific tools used in this campaign, federal officials have not yet disclosed the extent of the information compromised during the break-ins or whether additional portions of the hacking network remain operational.