Chinese Hackers Broke Into NASA, Federal Reserve, DOJ & Senate: FBI Announces

The Justice Department said Wednesday that US authorities had disrupted a global botnet and hacking platform allegedly used by Chinese state-sponsored hackers. FBI Director Kash Patel said the operation targeted US critical infrastructure and involved temporary intrusions into NASA, the Federal Reserve, the Senate, the DOJ, the Department of Energy and the Department of Health and Human Services.

The announcement also identified four unnamed companies in the US and South Korea among the targets. The public account does not name the companies, specify the duration or operational impact of the intrusions, or identify a listed cybersecurity vendor tied to the response.

Further details from the DOJ and FBI would establish whether the incident prompts new defensive contracts, regulatory measures or diplomatic action. The scope of any data access, the identities of the private-sector victims and whether additional compromises are disclosed are the key unresolved points.