JAKARTA - Chinese hacking teams have been accused by Western intelligence agencies and cybersecurity groups of digital intrusion campaigns around the world, targeting various things ranging from government and military organizations to companies and media groups.
Cybersecurity companies believe that many of these groups are backed by the Chinese government. Mandiant, based in the United States, said several Chinese hacker groups were operated by Chinese military units.
Chinese authorities have consistently denied the form of state-sponsored hacking, saying that China itself is often the target of cyberattacks. They refer to the United States' National Security Agency (NSA) as the "largest hacker organization in the world".
Several of China's largest hacking teams identified by intelligence agencies and cybersecurity groups are:
'VOLT TYPHOON'
Western intelligence agencies and Microsoft said on May 24 that Volt Typhoon, a group they described as state-backed ones, had wiretapped various important US infrastructure organizations, from telecommunications to transportation centers.
They described the attack in 2023 as one of China's largest cyber espionage campaigns known against critical American infrastructure.
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the report as part of a US disinformation campaign.
'BACKDOORDIPLOMACY'
Palo Alto Networks, a United States cybersecurity company, stated that its research shows that Backdoor Diplomacy has ties to China and is part of the APT15 hacking group.
A report from Reuters in May identified Backdoor Diplomacy as the perpetrator behind a series of widespread digital intrusions over several years against Kenya's key state ministries and institutions. Chinese authorities said they were unaware of such hacking and described the allegations as baseless.
APT 41
The Chinese hacker team APT 41, also known as Wintti, Double Dragon, and Amoeba, has carried out a series of state-backed cyber intrusions and data theft for financial motives, according to US-based cybersecurity firm FireEye and Mandiant.
The United States Secret Service said that the team had stolen tens of millions of US dollars worth of COVID-19 between 2020-2022.
Taiwan-based cybersecurity company TeamT5 said the group had targeted governments, telecommunications and media in Japan, Taiwan, Korea, the United States, and Hong Kong.
APT 41 was mentioned by the United States Department of Justice in September 2020 in connection with allegations filed against seven hackers over the alleged compromise of more than 100 companies worldwide.
Chinese authorities have described such reports as "baseless accusations".
APT 27
Western intelligence agencies and cybersecurity researchers say that the Chinese hacker team APT 27 is backed by the state and has launched attacks on Western and Taiwanese government agencies.
APT 27 claimed responsibility for cyberattacks on Taiwan in 2022 during Nancy Pelosi's visit, the former chairman of the United States House of Representatives, citing protests for Pelosi opposed China's warning not to visit Taiwan.
Mandiant, a cybersecurity firm, said last year that the group had developed computer networks of at least six US state governments between May 2021 and February 2022, while German authorities blamed the group for attacks on pharmaceutical companies, technology and other companies.
This news shows that China's hacking team continues to be a concern of Western cybersecurity intelligence agencies and groups. Although Chinese authorities deny the country's involvement in the hack, evidence gathered by intelligence agencies and cybersecurity firms shows there is a link between the hacking teams and the Chinese government.
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