The Department of Justice on Wednesday morning announced the seizure of online domains used to hack platforms, announcing that the Federal Reserve, the U.S. Senate, the Department of Justice, NASA, and other federal agencies were victims of computer intrusions by a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group.
The hacking platforms, known as QScan and QTRouter, were “used to target critical infrastructure and other sensitive networks in the United States,” the Justice Department said in a statement.
“Other targeted networks include those operated by hospitals, telecommunications providers, utility companies, financial institutions, and defense contractors,” the court filing said.
Other federal agencies affected by the platform’s computer intrusions include the Department of Energy, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Institutes of Health, according to the Justice Department.
The Justice Department did not elaborate on the damage the computer intrusion caused to government agencies or other targets.
Court documents unsealed in California federal court say the hacking platform was created and operated by a Chinese state-backed group known as QTFY. According to the filing, QTFY was employed by Nanjing Xinjiuwei Network Technology Company, a China-based company.
According to the Justice Department, QTFY’s paying customers include the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of State Security and the People’s Liberation Army.
“Malicious state-sponsored hackers that prey on America’s critical infrastructure will be stopped and prosecuted. We are here to keep the American people safe, and we will use every tool we can to uphold that promise,” Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement.
“Federal law enforcement agencies have investigated and disabled Chinese malicious software, the latest in a series of technology operations to dismantle indiscriminate hacking operations sponsored by the People’s Republic of China,” Blanche said.
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