December 31st 2024.
On Monday, the US Treasury Department announced that Chinese hackers had breached their systems by accessing several workstations and unclassified documents. It was discovered that the hackers had gained entry through a third-party software service provider. The agency did not reveal specific details on the extent of the breach, including the number of workstations affected and the type of documents accessed. However, they assured lawmakers that there was no evidence of the hackers still having access to their information at the time.
The incident was taken very seriously by the Treasury Department, with a spokesperson emphasizing their commitment to protecting their systems and the data they hold. In the past four years, the department has significantly strengthened its cyber defenses and continues to work with both private and public sector partners to safeguard the financial system from such threats.
Meanwhile, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, responded to the allegations in the typical fashion, denying any involvement and stating their opposition to all forms of hacking. They also expressed their disapproval of using false information for political purposes.
This breach comes as US officials are still dealing with the aftermath of the Salt Typhoon cyberespionage campaign, which gave Chinese officials access to private communications of Americans. A senior White House official revealed that the number of telecommunications companies affected by this hack has now risen to nine.
The Treasury Department was first made aware of the breach on December 8th, when the third-party software service provider, BeyondTrust, reported that hackers had stolen a key used to secure a cloud-based service used for remote technical support. This key allowed the hackers to bypass the service's security and gain access to several employee workstations. The compromised service has since been shut down, and there is no evidence that the hackers still have access to department information.
The department is currently working with the FBI, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and others to investigate the impact of the breach. It has been confirmed that the hack was carried out by Chinese state-sponsored individuals. The agency is taking all necessary measures to address the situation and prevent future incidents.
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