Amanda Castro
The Biden Administration has confirmed a significant cybersecurity breach targeting the U.S. Treasury Department, attributed to a state-sponsored group linked to Chinese intelligence. The attack, described as an espionage operation, compromised employee workstations and unclassified documents.
Officials disclosed that the breach was detected on December 8 by BeyondTrust, a third-party software service provider, after hackers obtained a security key granting remote access to Treasury systems. While the exact objectives of the hackers remain unclear, experts believe the operation aimed to gather intelligence rather than disrupt critical infrastructure.
The breach has raised concerns given the Treasury Department's role in overseeing global financial systems and implementing sanctions, including those against Chinese entities aiding Russia. This incident follows a series of recent cyber intrusions by China, including the compromise of U.S. telecommunications networks and government officials' email accounts.
In response, the Treasury Department, along with the FBI and intelligence agencies, has taken steps to secure affected systems and investigate the attack's scope. A detailed report to Congress is forthcoming.
No comments:
Post a Comment