US charges Chinese hackers who targeted government dissidents

US prosecutors have charged 12 Chinese nationals for being part of an alleged hacking scheme, which sold data of US-based dissidents to the Chinese government.

The “state-sponsored” operation also targeted government agencies including the Treasury, according to the Justice Department (DOJ).

Hackers also allegedly targeted an American religious organisation, and a newspaper in Hong Kong, the statement added.

China has not responded to these specific allegations, but have strongly denied other accusations in the past.

In December, the Treasury Department reported a “major” breach by Chinese -sponsored hackers, saying they were able to access employee workstations and some unclassified documents.

At that time, China denied any involvement, calling the accusation “baseless” and saying it “consistently opposes all forms of hacking”.

It is unclear when the latest DOJ charges were issued – but they were unsealed in a federal court in Manhattan on Wednesday.

Among the individuals charged were two officers of China’s Ministry of Public Security.

The DOJ said that hackers, which appeared to represent a private company, i-Soon, charged Chinese agencies between $10,000 and $75,000 for each “exploited” email inbox.

They allegedly “conducted computer intrusions” under the direction of Chinese ministries and on their own initiative, and were “paid handsomely for stolen data”.

“Today, we are exposing the Chinese government agents directing and fostering indiscriminate and reckless attacks against computers and networks worldwide,” said Sue J Bai, who heads the DOJ’s National Security Division.

“We will continue to fight to dismantle this ecosystem of cyber mercenaries and protect our national security,” she added.

No further details on the targeted US-based dissidents were provided.

The religious organisation hit by hackers was described as one which “previously sent missionaries to China and was openly critical of the PRC government”. PRC is short for the People’s Republic of China.

A Hong Kong newspaper was also on the list. While it was not named, the statement said that it was “considered as being opposed to the PRC government”.

Besides US agencies, hackers were said to have targeted the foreign ministries of Taiwan, India, South Korea and Indonesia.

Last October, the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said hacks targeting two major US presidential campaigns were carried out by “actors affiliated with the People’s Republic of China”.

Earlier last year, seven Chinese nationals were charged with running a hacking operation that lasted at least 14 years and targeted foreign critics of China.

Operations linked by Western governments to China have also targeted the UK’s Electoral Commission, and the UK and New Zealand parliaments.

As part of its long-running rewards programme, the US State Department said it was offering up to $10m for information on i-Soon, its employees and Chinese officials “engaged in malicious cyber activities highlighted in the Department of Justice’s indictments”.