Chinese Spies Impersonated US Lawmaker to Deliver Malware to Trade Groups: Report

According to the Wall Street Journal, China’s APT41 sent malicious emails on behalf of Rep. John Moolenaar to gather information ahead of US-China trade talks, impersonating a US lawmaker to target trade groups, law firms and government agencies. The messages urged recipients to provide feedback on proposed sanctions against China and contained an attachment that appeared to be a draft of the legislation but actually delivered malware linked to APT41, a group long believed to be sponsored by the Chinese government.

Google’s Mandiant investigated the attack and found the malware would allow hackers to gain deep access into the targeted organisations, though it remains unclear how many targets installed the spyware. The emails were sent in July, days before a meeting between US and Chinese officials in Sweden, with the aim of spying on organisations providing input on the Trump administration’s trade negotiations. China has denied the accusations, stating that such claims distract from the United States’ own actions.