Treasury's sanctions office hacked by Chinese government, officials say
Source: Washington Post
Updated January 1, 2025 at 6:35 p.m. EST
Chinese government hackers breached a highly sensitive office in the Treasury Department that administers economic sanctions against countries and groups of individuals — one of the most potent tools possessed by the United States to achieve national security aims, according to U.S. officials.
The targeting of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) as well as the Office of the Treasury Secretary — developments not previously reported — reflects Beijing’s determination to acquire intelligence on its most significant rival in the global competition for power and influence, said the officials, who like others interviewed for this report spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the matter’s sensitivity.
A top area of interest for the Chinese government, current and former officials said, would be Chinese entities that the U.S. government may be considering designating for financial sanctions.
The hack also compromised the Treasury Department’s Office of Financial Research, according to the officials. The full impact of the breach, which was disclosed by Treasury in a letter to Congress on Monday, is still being assessed. The documents accessed were unclassified and there is no evidence the hacker still has access to Treasury systems, the department said.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/01/01/treasury-hack-china/
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