Official announcements from the U.S. government or relevant departments

FBI Disrupts Flax Typhoon Botnet, Compromising 200,000 Devices

Sep 18, 2024, 04:14 PM

The FBI has taken action against a second Chinese hacking group known as 'Flax Typhoon,' which has compromised thousands of U.S. devices. FBI Director Christopher Wray announced that U.S. law enforcement disrupted the botnet, which was linked to the Chinese government. The botnet, named 'Raptor Train,' has affected over 200,000 Internet of Things (IoT) devices, including routers, IP cameras, and SOHO routers. The FBI, along with the NSA and international partners, has issued a joint advisory on mitigating the risks posed by such state-sponsored cyber activities. The advisory highlights the importance of patching and updating IoT devices and replacing end-of-life equipment to prevent further compromises. The botnet also targeted critical infrastructure and spread malware.