US Indicts Chinese Nationals in Cyberespionage Case

The U.S. Justice Department has indicted 12 Chinese nationals, including officers from the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and members of the hacking group APT27, for their involvement in a global cyber intrusion campaign. These individuals, many associated with the Chinese company i-Soon, allegedly hacked into American and international networks, targeting government agencies, human rights organizations, and critics of the Chinese government. The accused sold stolen data to Chinese agencies, reportedly earning between $10,000 and $75,000 per email inbox. The campaign has been described as part of China's 'hacker-for-hire' ecosystem, with i-Soon allegedly acting on behalf of Chinese intelligence services. U.S. officials have offered a $10 million reward for information leading to the arrest of those involved. The Chinese government, however, has dismissed the allegations as baseless and retaliatory.