United States authorities on Monday announced the indictment of seven Chinese nationals belonging to the APT31 Hacking Group, linked to China’s Ministry of State Security, which for 14 years has been collecting information on Chinese Communist Party (CPP) dissidents. and also about American politicians and businessmen. It was a “massive illegal hacking operation” to obtain “sensitive data of American elected officials and officials, journalists and academics, valuable information from American companies and political dissidents,” according to prosecutors for the Eastern District of New York, Breon’s Peace.

The Department of Justice explained in a statement that the seven suspects have been charged with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion and conspiracy to commit fraud by electronic means for their involvement in the APT31 Hacking Group. The organization spies on “foreigners who criticize China’s government, businessmen, and political officials to promote China’s economic espionage and intelligence objectives abroad,” the organization wrote.

The defendants are Ni Gaobin38 years old; Weng Ming37 years old; Cheng Feng34 years old; Peng Yaowen38 years old; Sun Xiaohui38; Xiong Wang35, and Zhao Guangzong, 38, are all “presumed residents of the People’s Republic of China,” according to the Department of Justice. This group is part of the computer espionage program of the Hubei State Security Department, under the Chinese Government’s Ministry of State Security, which is headquartered in the city of Wuhan. From there, the defendants launched a global hacking campaign against targets inside and outside China, in some cases achieving their goals and accessing private networks, email accounts, web storage, and phone calls.

“Some of this espionage took place over several years,” the Justice Department warned in its letter, saying it would not tolerate “the Chinese Government’s maneuvers to intimidate Americans in public office, silence dissidents protected by American laws, or steal from companies America.

Attorney General, Merrick Garland, alluding to “malicious cyber operations that threaten the national security of the United States and our allies.” According to their statement, the hacking group sent “more than 10,000 malicious emails” to thousands of victims on several continents in an operation “backed” by the Chinese government. The targets are journalists, public officials and companies, including the Deputy Attorney General, Lisa Monaco. Director of the US federal police force, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Christopher Wraywarned, of China’s “persistent and brazen efforts to undermine our nation’s cybersecurity and attack America and our innovation.”

On the same Monday, the UK also accused China of carrying out cyber attacks on the UK Election Commission and several members of parliament in 2021, in response to which the UK has announced sanctions and will summon the Chinese ambassador, Zheng Zeguang. “I can confirm that agents linked to the Chinese State are responsible for two cyber campaigns targeting our democratic institutions and parliament,” the British deputy prime minister admitted. Oliver Dowdenduring his speech in the House of Commons.

“We have seen this in China’s continued disregard for universal human rights and international commitments in Xinjiang, its eradication of voices of dissent and repression of opposition under the new national security law in Hong Kong, and reports that disturbing regarding China’s intimidation and aggressive behavior in Xinjiang. South China Sea,” said Dowden, who reiterated that Britain’s policy towards China is based on “national interests,” so it “will not hesitate to take” decisive and swift action if the Chinese Government threatens British interests.”

Former Prime Minister and current Minister of Foreign Affairs, David Cameron, considered a figure close to Beijing, assessed that it was “completely unacceptable that Chinese state-affiliated organizations and individuals have targeted our democratic institutions and political processes.” The Foreign Ministry chief said he had raised the issue directly with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, and recalled that two individuals and one entity “involved with China-affiliated groups” had been sanctioned.