US federal prosecutors say the hackers worked to steal identities and video game technology, plant ransomware, and spy on Hong Kong activists. WASHINGTON: The US Justice Department on Wednesday announced charges against five Chinese nationals and two Malaysians who ran global hacking operations for at least six years to steal identities and video game technology, plant ransomware, and spy on Hong Kong activists.
Two other Chinese nationals who formerly worked for Chengdu 404, and the two Malaysians, were indicted for hacking into major gaming companies to steal their secrets and"gaming artifacts," likely tradable in-game chits and credits, and resell them. While some had thought that the group could be run by the Chinese government, the indictments did not identify a strong official connection.But according to court filings, Jiang Lizhi, one of the Chengdu 404 hackers, boasted to a colleague in 2012 that he was protected by China's Ministry of State Security, and indicated they were protected if they did not hack domestically.
The charges did not indicate any direct political motivations behind the hackers' activities, though they did gain access to government computer systems in India and Vietnam.
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Source: The Straits Times - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »