A man holds a laptop while being shown an electronic code in this illustration taken on May 13, 2017. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/Illustration/File Photo Obtaining licensing rights
TOKYO (Reuters) – The U.S. National Security Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Japanese police jointly warned multinational companies affiliated with China-linked BlackTech Group in a cybersecurity alert late on Wednesday.
The joint AdvisorThe report, which also came from the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and its Japanese counterpart, urged companies to review internet routers at their subsidiaries to reduce the risk of a potential attack from the group.
“BlackTech has demonstrated capabilities in modifying router firmware without detection and exploiting industry trust relationships for routers to shift from international subsidiaries to headquarters in Japan and the United States, which are the primary targets,” the statement said.
Japan’s National Police Agency said in a separate statement that BlackTech has been engaging in cyberattacks on governments and technology sector companies in the United States and East Asia since approximately 2010.
In 2020, Taiwan’s self-governing security authority reported cyberattacks on the email accounts of about 6,000 government officials from Blacktech and another hacking group Taidoor, saying both were likely backed by the Chinese Communist Party.
Amid escalating tensions between the United States and China over issues including Taiwan, US security officials are raising the tone of their warnings against Chinese cyber attack capabilities. FBI Chief Chris Wray said earlier this month that China “has a hacking program larger than any other major country combined.”
In May, cybersecurity authorities in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom join US agencies to issue advisory on “state-sponsored cyber actor” in China.
The Washington Post said last month that Japan, a key US ally in East Asia along with South Korea, was attacked by Chinese military hackers who gained access to its secret defense networks in 2020. The Pentagon said it was confident in sharing intelligence with Japan on Despite the report.
Reported by Kantaro Komiya; Edited by Michael Perry
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