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U.S. Charges Chinese Army Personnel With Cyberspying U.S. Charges Chinese Army Personnel With Cyberspying
(35 minutes later)
WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice said on Monday that it had charged five individuals in China’s People’s Liberation Army in connection with stealing trade secrets from some of the largest American companies, including Westinghouse, United States Steel and Alcoa. WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice said on Monday it had charged five individuals in China’s People’s Liberation Army in connection with stealing trade secrets from some of the largest American companies, including Westinghouse, United States Steel and Alcoa.
The move was a rare instance of the United States charging foreign government employees with economic espionage, and it increased the tensions between American and Chinese officials who have accused each other in public and in private of using military assets for hacks and cyberattacks. The move marked a rare instance of the United States charging foreign government employees with economic espionage, and it increased the tensions between American and Chinese officials who have accused each other in public and in private of using military assets to initiate hacks and cyberattacks.
At a news conference in Washington, the Justice Department said it was searching for five people: Wang Dong, Sun Kailiang, Wen Xinyu, Huang Zhenyu and Gu Chunhui. It is unlikely that any of them will ever be brought to trial in the United States. The authorities said that the five men had worked at a 12-story white office tower on a Chinese Army base on the outskirts of Shanghai that was identified in a report last year as a source for many attacks on the American government and corporations.
According to the report, which was released by the American security firm Mandiant, the attacks were coming from Chinese hacking groups, known to many of their victims in the United States as the "Comment Crew” or “Shanghai Group,” that were based in that building.
At a news conference in Washington, the Justice Department said it was searching for Wang Dong, Sun Kailiang, Wen Xinyu, Huang Zhenyu, and Gu Chunhui. It is unlikely that any of them will ever be brought to trial in the United States.
Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said the men “have targeted the U.S. private sector for commercial advantage.”Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said the men “have targeted the U.S. private sector for commercial advantage.”
“We allege that members of Unit 61398 conspired to hack into computers of six U.S. victims to steal information that would provide an economic advantage to the victims’ competitors, including Chinese state-owned enterprises,” Mr. Holder said. “We allege that members of unit 61398 conspired to hack into computers of six U.S. victims to steal information that would provide an economic advantage to the victims’ competitors, including Chinese state-owned enterprises,” Mr. Holder said.
The Justice Department said that the men were indicted on May 1 by a federal grand jury in Pennsylvania and charged with conspiring to commit computer fraud and accessing a computer without authorization for the purpose of commercial advantage.The Justice Department said that the men were indicted on May 1 by a federal grand jury in Pennsylvania and charged with conspiring to commit computer fraud and accessing a computer without authorization for the purpose of commercial advantage.
Mr. Holder gave examples of the damage done by the hackers.Mr. Holder gave examples of the damage done by the hackers.
He said that while SolarWorld was rapidly losing its market share to Chinese competitors that were pricing exports well below costs, the hackers were stealing cost, pricing and strategy information from SolarWorld’s computers. And while Westinghouse was negotiating with a Chinese state-owned enterprise over the construction of nuclear power plants, he said, the hackers stole trade secret designs for components of those plants.He said that while SolarWorld was rapidly losing its market share to Chinese competitors that were pricing exports well below costs, the hackers were stealing cost, pricing and strategy information from SolarWorld’s computers. And while Westinghouse was negotiating with a Chinese state-owned enterprise over the construction of nuclear power plants, he said, the hackers stole trade secret designs for components of those plants.
In 2013, amid reports that detailed the extent of Chinese hacking of American companies and corporations, American officials tried to pressure the Chinese government to stop its military from compromising American systems.In 2013, amid reports that detailed the extent of Chinese hacking of American companies and corporations, American officials tried to pressure the Chinese government to stop its military from compromising American systems.
United States officials pointed to a report released by Mandiant, an American security firm, as evidence that the Chinese government was behind the attacks. The report said that an overwhelming percentage of attacks on American corporations and government agencies were being conducted by a unit of the Chinese Army.
Mandiant said the attacks were coming from Chinese hacking groups, known to many of its victims in the United States as “Comment Crew” or “Shanghai Group,” that were based in a 12-story white office tower on a Chinese Army base on the outskirts of Shanghai.
In March, it was revealed that the National Security Agency had created a back door into the computer networks of Huawei, a Chinese telecommunications giant that is considered a threat by the United States. The N.S.A. has also tracked more than 20 Chinese hacking groups — including some from the Chinese Army and Navy — that have broken into American government networks and companies. The companies included Google, and drone and nuclear-weapon part makers.In March, it was revealed that the National Security Agency had created a back door into the computer networks of Huawei, a Chinese telecommunications giant that is considered a threat by the United States. The N.S.A. has also tracked more than 20 Chinese hacking groups — including some from the Chinese Army and Navy — that have broken into American government networks and companies. The companies included Google, and drone and nuclear-weapon part makers.
In a separate case, the department was to announce charges later on Monday against several people who used hacking software called Blackshades. The software allows hackers to remotely control a computer.In a separate case, the department was to announce charges later on Monday against several people who used hacking software called Blackshades. The software allows hackers to remotely control a computer.
Mr. Holder said the two cases showed that the United States was “stepping up” cyberenforcement, regardless of whether attacks are by people inside the United States.Mr. Holder said the two cases showed that the United States was “stepping up” cyberenforcement, regardless of whether attacks are by people inside the United States.