Janice R. Andrews
The FBI said on Wednesday that it had stopped a big Chinese hacking group called “Flax Typhoon.” This group of cybercriminals attacked a huge number of internet-connected devices around the world, such as computers, cameras, routers, and more, turning them into a huge “botnet.” The group specifically went after important assets in the U.S., like colleges, government agencies, media outlets, and phone companies.
Chris Wray, the director of the FBI, said that the group was run by a Chinese company called the Integrity Technology Group. This company reportedly worked for Chinese government spy agencies. In his speech, Wray stressed that Chinese cyberespionage is still a threat and promised to keep working with other countries to stop future attacks.
China has rejected the charges. The Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C., said that the U.S. had made “groundless” complaints against China. This problem is a big step forward in the fight against hacking around the world.
