NASA, US Senate, Federal Reserve Targeted By Chinese Hackers In Major Cyberattack

US law enforcement has seized internet domains allegedly used by Chinese state-sponsored hackers to target critical infrastructure across the country, including NASA, the Federal Reserve and the US Senate, the US Justice Department said.

The hacking platforms, known as QScan and QTRouter, enabled the hackers to infiltrate several US government institutions, including the National Institutes of Health and the departments of energy, justice, and health and human services.

The Justice Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said the platforms were operated by a hacking group known as QTFY. According to court documents, QTFY provides computer hacking services to paying customers, including China’s Ministry of State Security and the People’s Liberation Army.

The Justice Department said QTFY was employed by China-based technology firm Nanjing Xinjiuwei Network Technology Company.

Hackers Targeted Government, Private Infrastructure

Apart from government institutions, the hackers allegedly targeted private-sector infrastructure, including hospitals, universities, telecommunications providers, power companies, financial institutions and defence contractors.

“Federal law enforcement investigated and disabled the PRC’s malicious software, the latest in a series of technical operations to dismantle indiscriminate hacking activities sponsored by the People’s Republic of China,” Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement.

“We are here to ensure security for the American people and will use every tool we have to keep that promise,” he added.

How QScan And QTRouter Operated

According to court documents, QScan searched for and automatically infected thousands of internet-connected devices worldwide. The compromised devices were subsequently incorporated into QTRouter, a network controlled by the hacking group.

The network also relied on commercial proxy services and leased virtual private servers. This infrastructure allowed the hackers to conceal the Chinese origin of their activities, according to the Justice Department.

Malicious communications appeared to come from compromised computers outside China and, in some instances, from locations near the targeted networks.

The seized domains were integrated into both malware platforms and were necessary for communication, authentication and other essential functions. The Justice Department said taking control of the domains rendered QScan and QTRouter inoperable.

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FBI Says Global Hacking Platform Disrupted

FBI Director Kash Patel said the operation disrupted a “global botnet and hacking platform used by Chinese state-sponsored hackers to target US critical infrastructure.”

The FBI and National Security Agency (NSA) also issued a cybersecurity advisory with indicators that could help organisations identify possible QTFY activity.

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