This month, hackers linked to the Chinese government broke into the US Treasury Department’s computer system, getting access to some unclassified documents. Officials are calling this a “major incident.”
The hackers found a way in through a company called BeyondTrust, which helps with computer security. They used a trick to get access to computers by taking over a special security key meant for remote help.
The Treasury learned about the attack after BeyondTrust noticed some strange activities and alerted them. Right now, the Treasury Department is working closely with the FBI and a group called CISA to figure out how bad the hack really is. So far, officials say there’s no sign that the hackers still have access to the Treasury’s systems.
In response to these accusations, China’s foreign ministry said they have nothing to do with the breach and called the claims baseless. This situation raises new worries about cybersecurity, especially after previous hacking incidents tied to Chinese hackers attacking US telecoms.
To prevent future attacks, the Treasury has promised to improve its computer security and will share more details in a report to Congress soon.
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