Chinese Man Wanted for Stealing Covid Data Held in Italy: US
In a significant development, the United States Department of Justice has announced the arrest of a Chinese state-sponsored contract hacker, Xu Zewei, in Italy at the request of Washington. Xu is alleged to be part of a hacking group that stole COVID-19 vaccine secrets from the US on behalf of Chinese intelligence during the height of the pandemic in 2020.
According to the US Department of Justice, Xu was arrested last week in Italy and is currently being held pending extradition to the United States. The arrest is a significant blow to Chinese intelligence, which has previously denied any involvement in the theft of COVID-19 data.
The US Department of Justice alleged that Xu was part of a hacking group known as “Wicked Panda” that was sponsored by the Chinese government. The group was allegedly tasked with stealing sensitive information from the US, including COVID-19 vaccine secrets, on behalf of Chinese intelligence.
The hacking group, also known as APT36, is believed to have stolen sensitive information from various US companies and organizations, including pharmaceutical companies, universities, and government agencies. The group is also believed to have stolen information from other countries, including Canada and Australia.
The arrest of Xu is the latest development in a long-running investigation into Chinese hacking activities. The US Department of Justice has previously charged several Chinese nationals with hacking-related offenses, and has accused China of engaging in a “massive” hacking campaign against the US.
The theft of COVID-19 data has significant implications for global public health. The pandemic has already caused widespread disruption and devastation, and the theft of vaccine secrets could have potentially catastrophic consequences.
The US Department of Justice has accused China of using the stolen data to accelerate its own vaccine development efforts, and has warned that the theft of sensitive information could undermine global trust in the vaccine development process.
The Chinese government has previously denied any involvement in the theft of COVID-19 data, and has accused the US of spreading “false information” about Chinese hacking activities.
However, the arrest of Xu and the allegations against him suggest that China may have been involved in the theft of COVID-19 data after all. The US Department of Justice has accused Xu of stealing sensitive information from various US companies and organizations, including pharmaceutical companies, universities, and government agencies.
The arrest of Xu is a significant blow to Chinese intelligence, and could have significant implications for global public health. The US Department of Justice has warned that the theft of sensitive information could undermine global trust in the vaccine development process, and has accused China of using the stolen data to accelerate its own vaccine development efforts.
In conclusion, the arrest of Xu Zewei, a Chinese state-sponsored contract hacker, in Italy at the request of Washington, is a significant development in the ongoing investigation into Chinese hacking activities. The allegations against him suggest that China may have been involved in the theft of COVID-19 data, and could have significant implications for global public health.
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