"US Treasury Slaps Sanctions on China-Linked APT31 Hackers"

The U.S. government recently announced a fresh round of sanctions against a pair of Chinese hackers, who are said to be responsible for “malicious cyber operations targeting U.S. entities that operate within U.S. critical infrastructure sectors.”  The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) noted that the sanctions also extend to a Wuhan, China-based technology company serving as a front for multiple malicious cyber operations.  In tandem, the U.S. Department of Justice revealed an indictment against 7 Chinese nationals, including the sanctioned Zhao Guangzong and Ni Gaobin, and announced its allies in the U.K. and the Commonwealth and Development Office implemented matching sanctions.  The government said the hackers are linked to APT31, a nation state-backed hacking team.  The OFAC noted that APT 31 is a collection of Chinese state-sponsored intelligence officers, contract hackers, and support staff that conduct malicious cyber operations on behalf of the Hubei State Security Department (HSSD). 

SecurityWeek reports: "US Treasury Slaps Sanctions on China-Linked APT31 Hackers"