Chinese Hackers Carried Out Cyberattack on Government Agencies and Factories in Taiwan: Microsoft Reports

A Cyberattack on Taiwanese Government Agencies and Factories

Introduction

A group of hackers, known as “Flax Typhoon” and believed to be based in China, recently carried out a cyberattack targeting numerous government agencies and key factories in Taiwan. This espionage operation was discovered and reported by the information and software company, Microsoft.

The Activities of Flax Typhoon

According to Microsoft, Flax Typhoon has been active since mid-2021, with its primary focus being government and educational agencies, strategic factories, and information technology organizations in Taiwan. Furthermore, Microsoft has identified the group as being based in China, adding another layer to the complexity of this cyberattack.

Intricate Taiwan-China Relations

Taipei has accused Beijing of conducting espionage activities by launching cyber attacks on its governmentworks. China, which regards Taiwan as part of its territory and insists on its return, has continually denied Taipei’s accusations. The ongoing cyberattacks only serve to exacerbate tensions further between the two nations.

The Objectives of the Hackers

Microsoft’s investigations have revealed that the Flax Typhoon group aimed to spy on targeted organizations and maintain access to their data for an extended period. However, it has not been determined whether the hackers had reached the stage of implementing their ultimate objectives as part of their espionage campaign.

Global Impact of Flax Typhoon

In addition to the cyberattacks in Taiwan, Microsoft has identified other victims of the Flax Typhoon group. Their targets span across Southeast Asia, North America, and Africa, signifying the global reach and impact of this sophisticated hacking operation.

Previous Attacks

Notably, in July, Microsoft reported a separate cyberattack by the Storm-0558 group, specializing in espionage and data theft. This attack had successfully breached the email accounts of some US government agencies, with the State Department being among the affected entities.

The post Chinese Hackers Carried Out Cyberattack on Government Agencies and Factories in Taiwan: Microsoft Reports appeared first on asumetech.

from Technology - asumetech https://asumetech.com/chinese-hackers-carried-out-cyberattack-on-government-agencies-and-factories-in-taiwan-microsoft-reports/