FBI Disrupts Second Chinese Hacking Group 'Flax Typhoon,' Compromising 260,000 Devices

Sep 18, 2024, 04:32 PM

The FBI has disrupted a second major Chinese hacking group known as 'Flax Typhoon,' according to FBI Director Christopher Wray. The group, which was linked to the Chinese government, had compromised hundreds of thousands of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, including routers and firewalls, to form a massive botnet. The operation, which involved the FBI, NSA, and other U.S. government agencies, took control of the botnet that consisted of approximately 260,000 devices. This botnet was used to target critical infrastructure in the U.S. and abroad. The FBI's action has freed thousands of impacted devices from the control of the Chinese state-sponsored hackers. The announcement was made at the Aspen Cyber Summit.