Official U.S. government announcements or credible media reports

Chinese Hackers Breach U.S. Treasury's Sanctions, Janet Yellen's Offices in Major Cyberattack

Jan 1, 2025, 11:44 PM

Chinese government-backed hackers breached the U.S. Treasury Department in a 'major incident' in December, accessing several workstations and stealing unclassified documents. The Treasury disclosed that the hackers exploited a vulnerability in a third-party software provider, BeyondTrust, using a stolen key to gain remote access. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which administers economic sanctions against other countries and individuals, and the office of Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen were among the targeted offices. The attack is part of a series of cyberattacks attributed to China against U.S. government agencies and companies. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning denied any involvement, calling the accusations baseless. The FBI is conducting an investigation into the breach.