Cyber Espionage Scandal: Alleged Chinese Hack Targets U.S. Trade Talks

U.S. authorities are investigating a malicious email masking as a Republican lawmaker's communication, suspected of aiding China in gaining insights into U.S.-China trade negotiations. The malware-ridden email, linked to the Chinese-backed hacker group APT41, targeted trade groups and government agencies ahead of significant trade discussions.

U.S. officials are currently probing an email scam that impersonated a Republican lawmaker, designed with malware to allegedly aid China in accessing sensitive insights related to trade talks with the Trump administration. The Wall Street Journal reported this concerning development on Sunday.

The email seemingly sent by Representative John Moolenaar, a prominent critic of Beijing and the head of a congressional committee on U.S.-China relations, was discovered by cybersecurity experts to be traced back to APT41, a hacker group purportedly linked to Chinese intelligence. The email reached various U.S. trade bodies, legal firms, and government offices last July.

In response, the Chinese embassy stated their opposition to cyberattacks generally, while denying any knowledge of the incident. Meanwhile, the U.S. Capitol Police and the FBI are actively investigating as the infiltrated email surfaced just before crucial U.S.-China trade discussions in Sweden.

(With inputs from agencies.)