A major cybersecurity breach has rocked the US Treasury Department, with a Chinese state-sponsored hacker gaining unauthorized access to the agency’s systems. The hacker managed to infiltrate employee workstations and access unclassified documents, sparking a massive investigation.
The breach occurred when the hacker exploited a vulnerability in a third-party service provider called BeyondTrust, which offers remote technical support to Treasury employees. The incident was first detected on December 2, but it took several days to confirm the hack.
The Treasury Department has deemed the incident a “major incident” and notified lawmakers. The agency is working closely with the FBI and other cybersecurity experts to assess the damage and prevent future breaches.
Initial findings suggest that the hack was carried out by a sophisticated Chinese cyberattack group. However, the Chinese embassy has vehemently denied any involvement, dismissing the allegations as a “smear attack.”
The incident has raised concerns about the vulnerability of US government agencies to cyberattacks and the need for enhanced cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive information.
