US sanctions China’s Integrity Expertise over alleged hacking sweep

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. on Friday sanctioned China’s Integrity Expertise Group, accusing it of being behind a prolific hacking group referred to as “Flax Storm.”

In an announcement, the State Division stated that Integrity Tech was a big Chinese language authorities contractor with ties to the Ministry of State Safety and that its hackers had been working on the route of Beijing to focus on important infrastructure within the U.S. and abroad.

Western officers have beforehand been accused The Beijing-based firm of being behind Flax Storm. In September, FBI Director Christopher Wray accused the corporate of getting “collected intelligence and carried out reconnaissance for Chinese language authorities safety businesses.”

In an advisory revealed on the similar time, U.S., British, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand cyber officers accused Integrity of getting compromised greater than 250,000 gadgets world wide.

Chinese language officers have beforehand accused the U.S. and its allies of getting “jumped to an unwarranted conclusion and made groundless accusations in opposition to China” in relation to Integrity and Flax Storm.

The hacking group is considered one of a collection of Chinese language cyberespionage actors who drawn scrutiny in latest months over focusing on of delicate knowledge and significant infrastructure. Others embrace teams nicknamed “Volt Storm,” which American officers worry is making ready for battle with the U.S., and “Salt Storm,” which has burrowed into U.S. telecom corporations.

Final week, U.S. Treasury officers stated an unnamed Chinese language hacking group had damaged into the Division’s computer systems and compromised an undisclosed quantity of knowledge. The goal was Treasury’s sanctions workplace, the Washington Put up later reported.