Chinese Hacker Busted: US Nails COVID-19 Research Thief, But Cyber Espionage Rolls On
The US nabbed a Chinese state-sponsored hacker accused of stealing COVID-19 research. Xu Zewei, arrested in Milan, allegedly hacked American universities and targeted Microsoft Exchange servers. Charged with nine counts, Xu faces a potential lengthy prison sentence, while his co-defendant remains at large. The plot thickens, but so does the prison porridge.
Hot Take:
**_Who knew that cyber-espionage could be as dramatic as a spy thriller? With hackers hopping from Milan to Microsoft Exchange servers and playing hide-and-seek with COVID-19 research, this story has more plot twists than a soap opera. If this saga was a movie, it’d be called “Hackers in the Time of Corona.”_**
Key Points:
– A Chinese state-sponsored hacker, Xu Zewei, was arrested in Milan for allegedly stealing COVID-19 research and engaging in other cyber activities.
– Xu is linked to the notorious Hafnium campaign targeting Microsoft Exchange servers in 2020 and 2021.
– The US alleges these attacks were directed by Chinese intelligence agencies using private companies like Shanghai Powerock Network Co. Ltd.
– Xu’s arrest highlights a broader network of state-sponsored cyber operations, though one arrest may not halt these activities.
– The hacker is also connected to the Silk Typhoon group, known for exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities.