Thu Sep 19 06:34:08 UTC 2024: ## US Thwarts Massive China-Backed Botnet, Freeing Hundreds of Thousands of Infected Devices

**Washington, D.C. –** The FBI has successfully dismantled a vast botnet controlled by Chinese government-backed hackers, freeing hundreds of thousands of infected devices across the globe. The botnet, operated by a group known as Flax Typhoon, targeted critical infrastructure, private entities, academia, and the media both in the United States and internationally.

FBI Director Christopher Wray revealed the operation during a cybersecurity summit on Wednesday, highlighting the ongoing threat posed by Chinese cyberespionage. He explained that Flax Typhoon, operating under the guise of a legitimate Beijing-based cybersecurity firm called Integrity Technology Group, used the botnet to compromise systems and steal confidential data.

The botnet, comprised of over 200,000 devices in the US alone, included routers, cameras, DVRs, and storage devices. These devices were used to carry out malicious activities disguised as routine internet traffic.

Federal authorities, through a court-authorized operation, took control of the malicious infrastructure, disabling the hackers’ access to the infected devices. Despite attempts to intervene, Chinese hackers were ultimately unsuccessful.

Wray emphasized the significant impact of this botnet, citing a Californian company that suffered a major cybersecurity incident requiring extensive remediation and hardware replacement. This resulted in widespread service disruption and substantial financial losses.

The FBI, alongside cybersecurity partners in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Britain, issued a joint advisory detailing the tactics and procedures used by Integrity Technology Group. This advisory aims to raise awareness and provide guidance for mitigating similar threats.

This incident marks the second major disruption of a China-backed botnet in recent months. In January, authorities dismantled a similar botnet targeting home office routers.

Director Wray stressed that this is just one victory in a long-running battle against Chinese cyberespionage. He warned that the Chinese government will continue to target critical infrastructure and organizations, both directly and through proxies. He affirmed the FBI’s commitment to identifying and disrupting malicious activities and bringing perpetrators to justice.

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