China-backed APT41 compromised ‘at least’ six US state governments – TechCrunch
TechCrunchNov 25, 2021
Secret Service: Chinese Hackers Stole Millions in COVID Relief Money
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Image copyright: Getty Images [via New York Post]
The Facts
In the US's first reported case of foreign state-sponsored pandemic fraud, the US Secret Service (USSS) has alleged that Chinese state-sponsored hacker group APT41 stole at least $20M in government COVID relief funds.
Five APT41 members that stand accused of stealing taxpayer funds from Small Business Administration loans and unemployment insurance funds from more than 12 states have been indicted on federal charges, but not extradited to the US. They remain at-large.
The Spin
Anti-China narrative
This tells us that the Chinese government not only condones but works alongside these hackers as they infiltrate US economic relief programs and steal taxpayer dollars. The Secret Service and DOJ have rightly been combatting groups like APT41 for years and must continue to take action against and build measures to prevent such deplorable schemes.
Pro-China narrative
The US for years has claimed that the Chinese government supports cyberattacks, without providing a shred of evidence. This is just the latest example of Washington's smear campaign against China in an attempt to bully Beijing and maintain its global hegemony.
Establishment-critical narrative
This is no surprise given that the government handed out more than $800B in COVID funds with zero checks and balances, essentially providing an open invitation to fraudsters and criminals. Coupled with the government's awareness of past Chinese hackers' attempts to steal from relief programs, American taxpayers could understandably believe their government doesn't actually care about safeguarding their hard-earned money.
