US unseals indictments against Chinese hackers, Malaysian businessmen

The United States on September 16 unsealed charges against five Chinese hackers who are accused of hacking into over 100 companies from across the world. The US also charged two Malaysian businessmen who allegedly conspired with two of the Chinese hackers to profit from computer intrusions targeting companies, universities, foreign governments, and pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong. 

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"In August 2019 and August 2020, a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., returned two separate indictments charging five computer hackers, all of whom were residents and nationals of People's Republic of China (PRC). In August 2020, The same federal grand jury returned a third indictment charging two Malaysian businessmen who conspired with two of the Chinese hackers to profit from computer intrusions targeting the video game industry in the United States and abroad," the US Department of Justice said on Wednesday.   

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Chinese hackers on the run

The United States says that the whereabouts of the five Chinese nationals remain unknown and accuses the Chinese Communist government of providing safe haven to the hackers. Meanwhile, the two Malaysian residents Wong Ong Hua, 46, and Ling Yang Ching, 32, were arrested on September 14, and the US seeking their extradition. 

"The Department of Justice has used every tool available to disrupt the illegal computer intrusions and cyberattacks by these Chinese citizens. Regrettably, the Chinese communist party has chosen a different path of making China safe for cybercriminals so long as they attack computers outside China and steal intellectual property helpful to China,"  said Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen.

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The Chinese hackers reportedly targeted video-game companies in the United States and abroad, compromised government computer networks in India and Vietnam, and targeted government computers but did not succeed in the United Kingdom. These hackers participated in a “Video Game Conspiracy,” together they sought to make money by hacking video game companies, obtaining and otherwise generating digital items of value (e.g., video game currency), and then selling such items for profit, said DOJ. 

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