United States accuses China-linked hackers of targeting government agencies

The United States Department of Justice has accused a China-linked group known as ‘QTFY’ of conducting a cyber espionage campaign targeting various government agencies and sensitive institutions. According to unclassified court documents, the group, which is linked to Nanjing Xinjiuwei Network Technology Company, utilized tools such as QScan and QTRouter to target entities including NASA, the Federal Reserve, the Department of Energy, the Department of Justice, the National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Senate.

FBI Director Kash Patel stated that authorities have dismantled a global botnet and hacking platform used by state-sponsored actors to target U.S. critical infrastructure while attempting to mask the origin of the attacks. The U.S. alleges these services are provided to the Ministry of State Security and the People's Liberation Army.

China has categorically rejected these accusations. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lin Jian stated that the claims lack evidence and are being used for political purposes to defame Beijing. China maintains that the United States is a major actor in global hacking and espionage, suggesting that Washington is attempting to shift blame for its own cybersecurity activities and preparations to attack Chinese critical infrastructure.