US Government Clarifies: Chinese Hackers Targeted Agencies, But Not All Were Hacked
The United States Department of Justice has corrected its previous statements. It now says that several government agencies were targets of Chinese state-sponsored hackers. However, not all of these agencies were successfully broken into.
The Justice Department had previously said that organizations like the US Senate and the Federal Reserve were “victims” of these attacks. A new statement released on Friday changed this wording. It now says these agencies were “among the targets” of a Chinese hacking group called QTFY.
This change is important. It means fewer successful computer breaches have been confirmed. The Justice Department explained that its earlier public notice incorrectly described all agencies as victims. The government’s official report (affidavit) actually stated that while all were targeted, only some were truly compromised.
The Justice Department has accused Chinese actors of a long-running computer spying campaign. This campaign has targeted US government agencies, defense companies, and other important organizations since at least 2018.
Specific targets included the US Senate, the Federal Reserve, and NASA. Other agencies named were the Department of Energy, the Department of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Institutes of Health.
NASA successfully stopped an attempted hack. This happened because the agency had fixed weaknesses in its computer programs.
However, some places were reportedly compromised. In September 2024, hackers carried out “computer intrusions” at three Department of Energy National Laboratories. They also broke into the National Institutes of Health, an agency under the Department of Health and Human Services, and a US security device maker. These were called “victims.”
A separate cybersecurity warning published by US intelligence agencies also listed successful data thefts. These thefts happened in May 2024. They affected unnamed defense contractors, financial institutions, and universities. The warning also mentioned failed attempts to access networks for the US Senate and a hospital in March 2026.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington has denied these accusations. An embassy spokesperson said the US often uses cybersecurity issues to “make China look bad.” China stated it is against the US using national security as an excuse to place unfair limits on Chinese companies. It promised to protect the rights of its companies.
