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🚨FBI Seizes Domains Used by Chinese Botnet in Cyberattack

Chinese cyberattacks on U.S. targets halted

TL;DR

The FBI has seized domains used by a Chinese botnet to launch cyberattacks on U.S. targets, including NASA and the Federal Reserve, since 2018. The move disrupts operations and denies hackers access to critical platforms.

The FBI has seized a series of domains used by a Chinese botnet to coordinate and launch cyberattacks on U.S. targets, including NASA, the Federal Reserve, and several federal government departments since 2018. This action disrupts the botnet's operations and denies hackers access to critical platforms, making it harder for them to launch attacks. The seized domains were hardcoded into the botnet's code, making them essential for communication and operations. Network giant Lumen observed hackers targeting government agencies, defense, and aerospace sectors over the past year and shared threat intelligence with the FBI.

FBI Seizes Domains Used by Chinese Botnet in Cyberattack — TechCrunch

Key Points

1

The botnet was allegedly used to break into computers across the U.S., including systems at hospitals, defense contractors, and federal government departments.

2

The botnet was created and operated by Nanjing Xinjiuwei Network Tech, a Chinese company.

3

The botnet aimed to serve as obfuscation networks, hiding malicious traffic to make it harder to detect.

4

The hacks date back to 2018 and affected NASA, the Federal Reserve, and several federal government departments.

5

The U.S. Senate was compromised as recently as 2026, highlighting the ongoing threat.

Why It Matters

If you're in cybersecurity, this is a big deal. The FBI's action disrupts a botnet that has been targeting critical infrastructure and government agencies since 2018. The seized domains were hardcoded into the botnet's code, making them essential for communication and operations. This move significantly reduces the botnet's ability to launch attacks, protecting sensitive data and systems.

FBIcybersecuritybotnetChinese hackerscritical infrastructure

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does this matter?

If you're in cybersecurity, this is a big deal. The FBI's action disrupts a botnet that has been targeting critical infrastructure and government agencies since 2018. The seized domains were hardcoded into the botnet's code, making them essential for communication and operations. This move significantly reduces the botnet's ability to launch attacks, protecting sensitive data and systems.

What happened?

The FBI has seized domains used by a Chinese botnet to launch cyberattacks on U.S. targets, including NASA and the Federal Reserve, since 2018. The move disrupts operations and denies hackers access to critical platforms.

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