US and UK go after Chinese hackers accused of state-backed operation against politicians, dissidents

By SYLVIA HUI and ERIC TUCKER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hackers linked to the Chinese government launched a sweeping, state-backed operation that targeted U.S. officials, journalists, corporations, pro-democracy activists and the U.K.’s election watchdog. That’s according to American and British authorities, who announced a set of criminal charges and sanctions Monday. Officials say the campaign began in 2010 with the intention to harass critics of the Chinese government, steal trade secrets of American corporations and to spy on and track high-level political figures. Western officials disclosed the operation, carried out by a hacking group known as APT31, while sounding a fresh, election-year alarm about a country long seen as having advanced espionage capabilities.