Chinese Hackers Impersonate US Rep. Moolenaar in Trade Talks Cyberattack

U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, was impersonated in a cyber campaign suspected to be orchestrated by Chinese state-backed hackers amid tense U.S.-China trade negotiations. Hackers sent fake emails from a nongovernmental address in July to trade groups, law firms, and government agencies requesting input on proposed sanctions against Beijing, aiming to steal American strategy and gain an advantage in trade talks. The FBI and U.S. Capitol Police are investigating the incident, with malware linked to the Chinese hacking group APT41, believed to operate under China’s Ministry of State Security. Moolenaar condemned the cyberattack as another example of China’s offensive operations designed to undermine U.S. interests and emphasized the committee's resolve to keep America safe. This cyberattack occurred during a period of difficult trade talks, including a low-level Chinese delegation visit to Washington that failed to make progress, and against a backdrop of increased Chinese espionage activities targeting senior U.S. officials. China denies involvement, calling the allegations unfounded, while Moolenaar’s committee recently released a report highlighting concerns over Chinese espionage within U.S. government-funded research.