Justice Department disrupts vast Chinese hacking operation that infected consumer devices

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Chris Wray says the FBI has disrupted a group of hackers working at the direction of the Chinese government who targeted universities, government agencies and other organizations. The hacking campaign known as Flax Typhoon installed malicious software on thousands of internet-connected devices, including cameras, video recorders, and home and office routers, to create a massive botnet — a network of infected computers. The FBI and Justice Department did not identify any of the targets by name but said they included universities, government agencies, telecommunications providers, media organizations and nongovernmental organizations.