Australia Accuses Hainan-Based APT40 of 2022 Cyber Espionage

Jul 9, 2024, 04:23 AM

Australia has accused a Chinese state-backed hacking group, known as Advanced Persistent Threat 40 (APT40), of conducting cyber espionage targeting government and private sector networks. The Australian Signals Directorate issued a rare warning, highlighting that APT40 has been actively looking for targets to compromise, exploiting vulnerabilities in widely-used software and using compromised devices, including small-office/home-office devices, as operational infrastructure. This large-scale operation involves stealing hundreds of usernames and passwords. The US, UK, Japan, and other allies have supported Australia's condemnation of China's Ministry of State Security for backing these malicious cyberattacks. The group, based in Hainan, targeted networks in 2022. The Five Eyes intelligence alliance, including New Zealand and Canada, also backed Australia's stance.