U.S. and allies: China at fault for massive Microsoft hack

A new joint effort made up of NATO member states, the European Union, Australia, New Zealand and Japan is coming together to confront the global threat posed by Chinese state-sponsored cyberattacks.

In its first action on Monday, the countries will publicly blame China’s Ministry of State Security for a massive cyberattack on Microsoft Exchange email servers earlier this year.

The attack was carried out by criminal contract hackers working for the MSS who also engage in cyber-enabled extortion, cryptojacking and ransomware, the official said.

The group will share intelligence on cyberthreats and collaborate on network defenses and security, said a senior Biden administration official who requested anonymity to discuss a national security effort.

Also Monday, the FBI, National Security Agency and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency released a new advisory listing 50 tactics, techniques and procedures that Chinese state-sponsored hackers employ.

The brazen Microsoft Exchange server attack became public in March and is believed to have hit at least 30,000 American organizations and hundreds of thousands more worldwide.

Microsoft quickly identified the group behind the hack as a relatively unknown Chinese espionage network dubbed Hafnium.

Until now, the United States has stopped short of publicly blaming Beijing for the attack.

The delay in naming China was partly to give investigators time to assemble the evidence to prove that the Hafnium hackers were on the Chinese state payroll, the official said.

It was also important for the United States to act in concert with its allies when it made the public attribution, said the official.

At a time when cyberwarfare is becoming the front line in a global power struggle between democracies and autocratic states, the new cybersecurity alliance could become a model for future efforts to confront transnational threats.

The joint announcements Monday build on President Joe Biden’s effort earlier this summer to rally support among NATO and EU allies for a more confrontational approach to China.

They also come amid a rising number of economic and diplomatic sanctions the Biden administration has imposed on Beijing this year, in response to alleged human rights abuses in Hong Kong and in Xinjiang province.

On Friday, the United States sanctioned seven Chinese officials in response to the Beijng’s crackdown on Hong Kong’s democratic institutions.

The U.S. also issued a business advisory, warning U.S. firms of potential data and privacy breaches by the Chinese government if they continue to do business in Hong Kong.

In response, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson accused the United States of “meddling” in its internal affairs.

For now, the multinational cybersecurity effort is focused on cooperative security and threat alerts, and not on retaliation.

The White House has raised the Microsoft attacks with senior members of the Chinese government, “making clear that the [People’s Republic of China] actions threaten security, confidence, and stability in cyberspace,” said the senior official.

But Beijing’s economic might around the world makes it exceedingly difficult for any group of countries to agree on concrete actions against toward China.

“We’re not ruling out further actions to hold [China] accountable,” said the senior official, “but we’re also aware that no one action can change the PRC’s behavior, and neither can one country acting on its own. So we really focused initially in bringing other countries along with us.”

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[freshevansGloryBeToYah]

The government blames everyone but themselves. What a great country we live in.

[scgamerd]

We know a person who called out china on these tactics years ago, naturally he was called a “racist and xenophobic”

[howard]

Don't forget it was xenophobic when the bad orange man called out China's bad behavior

[carriehanifen]

He won’t be tough on China or anyone else, he’ll he can barely walk and chew gum at the same time

[rockinmama]

Accountability
for the virus is needed.

[nottodayfolks]

Bidens not going to hinder Hunter's art work sales.

[j.ritter]

Didn’t we just invite them and the rest of the UN to come to the US and tell us how racist we are? This administration can’t seem to make up it’s mind.

[joekng]

CNBC did it's first story in six years where they didn't blame Trump... Weird!

[tommyi-opener]

It's all a game...and as a part of the game...America has been sold.

[piratekingthaszar]

We blamed China. So what? Words mean nothing if our country doesn't actually do anything to solve the problem.

[rocknrobert]

I trust the US government as much as I trust the ccp

[nycbike]

oh now the allies agree. When Trump was raising the flag nobody wanted to listen. Biden and his administration don't have the balls to do anything about it.

[Yeah-right-]

Omg, the *White Supremacy* problem is rampant!
I think this would be a wonderful opportunity to pause for a moment
and give thanks for the great contributions of the *Democrat*
community to our society. I love driving down their streets and seeing
the American flag waving so proudly in every yard. Their peaceful
and generous nature make them ideal neighbors, lending testimony to
their exceptional family values and parenting skills unrivaled by any
other culture. You can witness this by their strict adherence to our
local and Federal laws. Their commitment to academic excellence en-
riches our schools and serves as an example to all who hope to achieve
prominence as a people. Just watching their *Special* kind of Science
change our society is simply amazing. I mean, who ever thought there
are 187 Genders? Real estate values are fueled by the mix of
*Democrat Americans* into an area due to their caring and respectful
nature of these communities, an example of all they have achieved
through their enthusiasm for self improvement by hard work and a
self-reliant can-do nature. Without their industrious and creative
drive, we would undoubtedly be poorer as a nation.


*Well, except for the Mass Shootings, The Racist, Lawless, Violent, Junkie, *
*Self Entitled, Christian Hating, Antifa Loving, White People Hating, Pedophilia*
*Loving, Cop Hating, Abortion Loving, Jew Hating Bigoted part I mean.*

[Prebound_]

Don't you all feel our nation is weak under Biden/Harris? Man, I slept great at night with Donald Trump at the helm.

[degenerati]

Don't buy Chinese goods. If that means not shopping at Walmart, then that's a bonus.

[HamburgerMolester]

Ya that 10% sure does complicate things. 😂

[wangsamaju]

which country doesn't have hacker? the answer is "USA".

[AsmrWorldvids]

I live in America. Our government should stop whining and crying to start on fixing our cybersecurity. Makes us look weak on TV

[williamdooley]

:16 - the issue is more complicated with china. No doubt. He knows who butters his bread, and his boy's as well.

[lchjr]

The irony of creating revolutionary technology, but not being able to protect it, should not be lost.