Chinese Hackers Infiltrate US Software Giants and Law Firms to Fuel Beijing’s Trade War Intelligence Operations

Digital Shadows Cast Across Corporate America

Sophisticated cyber operatives linked to China have penetrated deep into the infrastructure of major US technology companies and elite legal practices. These coordinated attacks represent a new front in the ongoing trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.

Silent Data Extraction at Scale

The hackers bypass traditional security measures using custom-built malware that mimics legitimate software updates. Once inside corporate networks, they move laterally through systems—harvesting trade secrets, negotiation strategies, and intellectual property.

Legal Sector Targeted for Strategic Advantage

Law firms handling sensitive international trade cases find themselves particularly vulnerable. Attackers seek privileged attorney-client communications that could reveal US negotiation tactics and legal strategies.

The operation demonstrates how cyber espionage has become standard practice in modern economic conflicts—proving once again that in global trade wars, data is the new currency and firewalls are just polite suggestions.

Chinese hackers seem to be “very active” currently

The suspected Chinese hackers are “very active right now,” said Charles Carmakal, Mandiant’s chief technology officer. “We believe that there are many organizations that are actively compromised that don’t know about it.”

This is “the most prevalent [cyber] adversary in the United States over the past several years,” Carmakal said.

CNN has asked for a response to Mandiant’s discoveries from the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC. Beijing regularly denies US accusations of hacking and claims that the US conducts cyber attacks against China.

Law offices make appealing targets for spying because they help government and business clients deal with trade and national security problems. Suspected Chinese hackers broke into email accounts of lawyers at Wiley Rein, a Washington, DC-based firm, during the summer, CNN previously reported.

The FBI has stated that China’s cyber workers outnumber all FBI agents by at least 50 to 1. For years, under both Republican and Democratic presidents, US officials have tried to fight this numbers disadvantage by revealing the hackers’ methods through criminal charges, penalties, and other actions. In unusual cases, the FBI has arrested Chinese operatives.

Italian police in July arrested a Chinese man who US prosecutors say was part of a hacking group that stole valuable US research about a coronavirus vaccine for Chinese intelligence services.

“He is one of the first hackers linked to Chinese intelligence services to be captured by the FBI,” the bureau’s Houston field office said at the time.

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