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Chinese hackers charged by Justice Department with trying to steal US coronavirus research
Fox News ^ | 07/21/2020 | Barnini Chakraborty

Posted on 07/21/2020 9:13:04 AM PDT by DFG

The Department of Justice announced Tuesday it has charged two Chinese hackers with trying to steal U.S. COVID-19 research as well as other sensitive information from businesses and government agencies.

The 11-count indictment against Li Xiaoyu, 34, and Dong Jiazhi, 31, alleges the Chinese nationals hacked into the computer systems of hundreds of companies, government organizations as well as individual dissidents and clergy.

They also allegedly broke into the accounts of democratic and human rights activists in the United States, Hong Kong and mainland China. The Justice Department alleges their decade-long con was not only for personal financial gain but also to benefit the Chinese government.

"The hackers stole terabytes of data from hundreds of targets which comprised a sophisticated and prolific threat to U.S. networks," the DOJ said.

Li and Dong, trained in computer applications technologies at the same Chinese university in Chengdu, targeted countries with high tech industries including Australia, Belgium, Germany, Japan, Lithuania, Spain, South Korea, Sweden and the United Kingdom, authorities said.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: china; coronavirus; covid; hacker

1 posted on 07/21/2020 9:13:04 AM PDT by DFG
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To: DFG

They are trying to steal cironavirus research from the CDC for example?
Is it even worth stealing?


2 posted on 07/21/2020 9:17:49 AM PDT by SmokingJoe
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To: DFG

Huh, wonder if they could manipulate test results while they were on those sites.


3 posted on 07/21/2020 9:19:33 AM PDT by pnz1 ("These people have gone stone-cold crazy")
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To: DFG

All your base are belong to us.


4 posted on 07/21/2020 9:21:26 AM PDT by Engraved-on-His-hands
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To: DFG

It’s just what they do.


5 posted on 07/21/2020 9:25:43 AM PDT by Blurb2350
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To: DFG

Why would they need to steal research, there are no cases in China.


6 posted on 07/21/2020 9:26:52 AM PDT by pas
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To: DFG

Some might suggest, “Why not just give them the Coronavirus research date?”

Well, think about it. If these are the people that “created” the virus in a laboratory with suspected nefarious purposes, would not giving them this data show them how to perfect their chemically weaponized virus for future use?


7 posted on 07/21/2020 9:31:48 AM PDT by Pilgrim's Progress (http://www.baptistbiblebelievers.com/BYTOPICS/tabid/335/Default.aspx D)
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To: DFG

The practical effect is presumably that they are placed on the Interpol list, meaning that if they step foot in a cooperating country (most of the world outside of China) using their Chinese passports in their real names, they run the risk of being arrested and extradited. Assuming the Chinese government gives them genuine fake passports, facial recognition programs, to the extent Customs and Immigration in US-allied countries use them, could flush them out anyway.


8 posted on 07/21/2020 9:39:16 AM PDT by Zhang Fei (My dad had a Delta 88. That was a car. It was like driving your living room.)
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To: SmokingJoe

Well it’s beyond just the covid virus.... Targets included high tech manufacturers, medical device makers civil and industrial engineers, gaming software makers, solar energy companies; pharmaceutical makers, and defense contractors over a 10 year period.


9 posted on 07/21/2020 9:42:09 AM PDT by caww
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To: DFG

Arrest them. Charge them and hold them in the lock-up. Works for me.


10 posted on 07/21/2020 10:59:48 AM PDT by Rapscallion
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