Leaked data reveals China firm targeted foreign governments, NATO, universities: Tech group

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – A China-based hacking firm has been accused by tech analysts of targeting foreign governments, NATO, and universities.

According to the US-based cybersecurity firm SentinelLabs, a Chinese government-linked firm, known as I-Soon, “appears to be responsible for the compromise of at least 14 governments, pro-democracy organizations in Hong Kong, universities, and NATO.”

“The authenticity of the documents,” which were uploaded on software giant GitHub, “is still undecided,” it said in a detailed note on Wednesday.

It added that the company in question has contracts with many Chinese government agencies, including the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of State Security, and the People’s Liberation Army.

The SentinelLabs based its analysis on a “data leak over the weekend of Feb. 16.”

“It is not known who pilfered the information nor their motives, but this leak provides a first-of-its-kind look at the internal operations of a state-affiliated hacking contractor,” said the firm.

“The leaked documents offer the threat intelligence community a unique opportunity to reevaluate past attribution efforts and gain a deeper understanding of the complex Chinese threat landscape,” it noted.​​​​​​​

The cybersecurity firm also said the leaked documents demonstrate that the “third-party contractors play a significant role in facilitating and executing many of China’s offensive operations in the cyber domain.”