Australia, Albanese Government Accuse Chinese State-Backed APT 40 Hackers of Cyber Espionage

Jul 9, 2024, 02:31 AM

Australia has accused a cyber group acting on behalf of China's Ministry of State Security of espionage and hacking activities targeting the Australian government and private sector networks. The Albanese government, for the first time, led a joint condemnation of Chinese state-backed cybercrime, calling out Beijing for supporting a hacking group known as Advanced Persistent Threat 40, which continues to exploit vulnerabilities in Australia. The US and its allies have also accused China’s Ministry of State Security of directing cyberattacks against government and private sector entities. The operation involves stealing hundreds of usernames and passwords and has been attributed to Hainan-based hackers. Australia and key regional partners are accusing a Chinese spy agency of cyber espionage.