US Department of Justice Revises Claims Regarding Chinese Hacking Targets

The US Department of Justice has corrected previous statements regarding a Chinese state sponsored hacking campaign, clarifying that several government agencies were targets of the group known as QTFY rather than confirmed victims. A revised statement issued on Friday specifies that the US Senate, the Federal Reserve, NASA, and other agencies were among the targets. The Justice Department explained that the original August 26 release incorrectly described all agencies as victims, while the government's affidavit clarified that all were targeted but only some were compromised.

According to an FBI affidavit, the hackers have targeted US federal networks since at least 2018. The document notes that an attempted breach of NASA was unsuccessful because the agency had patched the targeted software. However, the affidavit alleges that computer intrusions occurred in September 2024 at the NIH, an HHS agency, three DOE National Laboratories, and a US security device manufacturer. A separate joint cybersecurity advisory also listed successful data thefts from unnamed universities, financial institutions, and defence contractors in May 2024, while noting unsuccessful attempts to access the US Senate in March 2026.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington stated that the US uses cybersecurity to smear or discredit China. The spokesperson added that China opposes the US using national security as a pretext to impose discriminatory restrictions on Chinese companies.