China Hackers Broke Into 400-Plus Treasury PCs, Report Says
- Hackers likely stole more than 3,000 files from department
- Treasury found no evidence of lingering access or malware
The US Treasury building in Washington, DC, US.
Photographer: Samuel Corum/BloombergChinese state-sponsored hackers who breached the US Treasury Department got into more than 400 laptop and desktop computers, taking particular interest in the machines of staff and senior leaders focused on sanctions, international affairs and intelligence, according to an agency report reviewed by Bloomberg News.
The hackers accessed employee usernames and passwords, as well as more than 3,000 files on unclassified personal computers, the report said. That included policy and travel documents, organizational charts, material on sanctions and foreign investment, and “Law Enforcement Sensitive” data. The perpetrators likely stole material but appear not to have gotten into Treasury’s classified or email systems, according to the findings.