International coalition accuses Chinese firms of cyber espionage
- The United States and its allies have named three Chinese companies in connection with a large-scale hacking campaign.
Broad international response
An unusually wide international coalition has taken aim at three Chinese technology firms accused of involvement in cyber espionage. Alongside the United States and its traditional English-speaking allies — the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand — countries such as Germany, Italy, Japan, and several European states also joined the effort.
In a 37-page advisory released on Wednesday, officials alleged that Sichuan Juxinhe Network Technology, Beijing Huanyu Tianqiong Information Technology, and Sichuan Zhixin Ruijie Network Technology provided cyber tools and services to China’s intelligence services, including units of the People’s Liberation Army and the Ministry of State Security.
Sanctions and data leaks
Among the three, Sichuan Juxinhe has already been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury for its reported ties to the hacker group known as “Salt Typhoon.” The group is accused of stealing massive amounts of American telecommunications data, including communications from senior officials in Washington. The other two firms, Beijing Huanyu Tianqiong and Sichuan Zhixin Ruijie, were recently linked to unexplained data leaks, though details remain unclear.
Attempts to reach Sichuan Juxinhe have so far failed, while no contact information was found for the other two companies. Beijing typically denies any state sponsorship of cyber operations.
Salt Typhoon’s operations
While Washington has long complained about China-linked hacking, the campaigns attributed to Salt Typhoon stand out for their scope. One senator last year described the breaches as “mind-boggling,” while another said they likely represented “the largest telecommunications hack in U.S. history.”
Brett Leatherman, the FBI’s top cyber official, told The Wall Street Journal that Salt Typhoon was behind “one of the more consequential cyber espionage breaches we have seen here in the United States.” According to the paper, the hackers targeted over 80 countries and showed varying levels of interest in more than 600 companies.
Wider cooperation beyond Five Eyes
The U.S. often singles out Chinese and other foreign entities for alleged cyber activity, sometimes in coordination with members of the “Five Eyes” intelligence alliance. This time, however, the statement carried broader support: the Czech Republic, Finland, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain also signed on.
Broader implications
Salt Typhoon’s operations extend far beyond the United States. Security experts say the group follows a global strategy aimed at gaining political and economic advantages. Analysts warn that such campaigns threaten not only government agencies but also critical infrastructure and private businesses worldwide, underscoring the scale of the risk.
