2 days ago
US Revises Claims About Chinese Hackers Targeting Government Agencies
U.S. officials first said Chinese hackers had hacked several government agencies.
They later changed that wording.
The new statement says the agencies were targets of the hackers.
It does not say they were definitely hacked.
The group was called QTFY.
Officials identified the group during an operation involving internet domains.
The Senate, the Federal Reserve and NASA were among the organizations named.
The Justice Department said it changed the statement to accurately reflect its legal allegations.
The Department of Justice revised a statement about a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group.
The updated statement says the U.S. Senate, Federal Reserve, NASA and others were targets, not confirmed victims.
The group, identified as QTFY, was named during an internet domain seizure operation on Wednesday.
The earlier statement said the government agencies had been among the hackers’ victims.
The Justice Department said the edits were intended to match allegations in a domain-seizure affidavit.
- Who
- The U.S. Department of Justice and officials discussing QTFY, a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group.
- What
- Officials revised claims that several U.S. government agencies had been hacked, saying instead that they were among the group’s targets.
- Where
- The named targets included the U.S. Senate, the Federal Reserve and NASA; the statement concerned an internet domain seizure operation.
- When
- The group was identified on Wednesday, and the revised statement was issued on Friday.
- Why
- The Department of Justice said the wording was changed to accurately reflect allegations in the affidavit supporting the domain seizures.
Earlier Statement
Corrected Statement
Status of government agencies
Earlier Statement
The original Justice Department statement said the agencies had been among the hackers’ victims.
Corrected Statement
The edited statement says the agencies were among QTFY’s targets, without stating that they were confirmed victims.
Basis for the wording
Earlier Statement
The earlier wording characterized the agencies as having been affected by the hacking activity.
Corrected Statement
The Justice Department said the revision was made to align the release with allegations in the affidavit supporting the domain seizures.
Key facts
- Hacking group
- QTFY, identified by officials as Chinese state-sponsored.
- Revised characterization
- The agencies were described as targets rather than confirmed victims.
- Organizations named
- The U.S. Senate, the Federal Reserve, NASA and others.
- Earlier wording
- A previous Justice Department statement said the agencies were among the hackers’ victims.
- Identification date
- Officials identified QTFY on Wednesday.
- Correction date
- The Department of Justice issued the revised statement on Friday.
- Reason for edits
- To ensure the release accurately reflected allegations in the affidavit supporting domain seizures.
Quotes
U.S. Department of Justice
The federal department that issued the corrected statement about the Chinese state-sponsored hacking group.
“Edits have been made to ensure this press release accurately reflects the government’s allegations in the affidavit in support of the domain seizures.”
indianexpress.com
“among the targets of QTFY”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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