A grand jury in the Western District of Pennsylvania (WDPA) indicted five Chinese military hackers for computer hacking, economic espionage, and other offenses directed at six American victims in the U.S. nuclear power, metals, and solar products industries.
The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to hack into American entities to maintain unauthorized access to their computers and to steal information from those entities that would be useful to their competitors in China, including state-owned enterprises (SOEs). In some cases, it alleges, the conspirators stole trade secrets that would have been particularly beneficial to Chinese companies at the time they were stolen. In other cases, it alleges, the conspirators also stole sensitive, internal communications that would provide a competitor, or an adversary in litigation, with insight into the strategy and vulnerabilities of the American entity.
Defendants: Wang Dong, Sun Kailiang, Wen Xinyu, Huang Zhenyu, and Gu Chunhui, who were officers in Unit 61398 of the Third Department of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The indictment alleges that Wang, Sun, and Wen, among others known and unknown to the grand jury, hacked or attempted to hack into U.S. entities named in the indictment, while Huang and Gu supported their conspiracy by, among other things, managing infrastructure (e.g., domain accounts) used for hacking.
Victims: Westinghouse Electric Co. (Westinghouse); U.S. subsidiaries of SolarWorld AG (SolarWorld); United States Steel Corp. (U.S. Steel); Allegheny Technologies Inc. (ATI); the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union (USW); and Alcoa Inc.
Time period: 2006-2014
Crimes: 31 counts …
U.S. Charges Five Chinese Military Hackers with Cyber Espionage Against U.S. Corporations and a Labor Organization for Commercial Advantage
Federal Bureau of Investigation (press release)
http://www.fbi.gov/pittsburgh/press-releases/2014/u.s.-charges-five-chinese-military-hackers-with-cyber-espionage-against-u.s.-corporations-and-a-labor-organization-for-commercial-advantage
U.S. Charges Five Chinese Military Hackers with Cyber Espionage Against U.S. Corporations and a Labor Organization for Commercial Advantage
First Time Criminal Charges are Filed Against Known State Actors for Hacking
May 19, 2014
(202) 514-2007/TDD (202) 514-1888
WASHINGTON—A grand jury in the Western District of Pennsylvania (WDPA) indicted five Chinese military hackers for computer hacking, economic espionage, and other offenses directed at six American victims in the U.S. nuclear power, metals, and solar products industries.
The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to hack into American entities to maintain unauthorized access to their computers and to steal information from those entities that would be useful to their competitors in China, including state-owned enterprises (SOEs). In some cases, it alleges, the conspirators stole trade secrets that would have been particularly beneficial to Chinese companies at the time they were stolen. In other cases, it alleges, the conspirators also stole sensitive, internal communications that would provide a competitor, or an adversary in litigation, with insight into the strategy and vulnerabilities of the American entity.
“This is a case alleging economic espionage by members of the Chinese military and represents the first-ever charges against a state actor for this type of hacking,” U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said. “The range of trade secrets and other sensitive business information stolen in this case is significant and demands an aggressive response. Success in the global market place should be based solely on a company’s ability to innovate and compete, not on a sponsor government’s ability to spy and steal business secrets. This administration will not tolerate actions by any nation that seeks to illegally sabotage American companies and undermine the integrity of fair competition in the operation of the free market.”
“For too long, the Chinese government has blatantly sought to use cyber espionage to obtain economic advantage for its state-owned industries,” said FBI Director James B. Comey. “The indictment announced today is an important step. But there are many more victims, and there is much more to be done. With our unique criminal and national security authorities, we will continue to use all legal tools at our disposal to counter cyber espionage from all sources.”
“State actors engaged in cyber espionage for economic advantage are not immune from the law just because they hack under the shadow of their country’s flag,” said John Carlin, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “Cyber theft is real theft, and we will hold state-sponsored cyber thieves accountable as we would any other transnational criminal organization that steals our goods and breaks our laws.”
“This 21st century burglary has to stop,” said David Hickton, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “This prosecution vindicates hard working men and women in Western Pennsylvania and around the world who play by the rules and deserve a fair shot and a level playing field.”
Summary of the Indictment
Defendants: Wang Dong, Sun Kailiang, Wen Xinyu, Huang Zhenyu, and Gu Chunhui, who were officers in Unit 61398 of the Third Department of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The indictment alleges that Wang, Sun, and Wen, among others known and unknown to the grand jury, hacked or attempted to hack into U.S. entities named in the indictment, while Huang and Gu supported their conspiracy by, among other things, managing infrastructure (e.g., domain accounts) used for hacking.
Victims: Westinghouse Electric Co. (Westinghouse); U.S. subsidiaries of SolarWorld AG (SolarWorld); United States Steel Corp. (U.S. Steel); Allegheny Technologies Inc. (ATI); the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union (USW); and Alcoa Inc.
Time period: 2006-2014
Crimes: 31 counts as follow (all defendants are charged in all counts):
Summary of Defendants’ Conduct Alleged in the Indictment
Additionally, in 2010 and 2011, while Westinghouse was exploring other business ventures with SOE-1, Sun stole sensitive, non-public, and deliberative e-mails belonging to senior decision-makers responsible for Westinghouse’s business relationship with SOE-1.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
The FBI conducted the investigation that led to the charges in the indictment. This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division Counterespionage Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Five Chinese Military Hackers Charged with Cyber Espionage Against U.S.
FBI News Blog
http://www.fbi.gov/news/news_blog/five-chinese-military-hackers-charged-with-cyber-espionage-against-u.s
In a case out of the Western District of Pennsylvania, five Chinese military hackers were indicted on charges of computer hacking, economic espionage, and other offenses directed at six American victims in the U.S. nuclear power, metals, and solar products industries. This marks the first time criminal charges have been filed against known state actors for hacking.
From 2006-2014, defendants Wang Dong, Sun Kailiang, Wen Xinyu, Huang Zhenyu, and Gu Chunhui, who were officers in Unit 61398 of the Third Department of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, were allegedly involved a hacking conspiracy that targeted Westinghouse Electric Co.; U.S. subsidiaries of SolarWorld AG; United States Steel Corp.; Allegheny Technologies Inc.; the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union; and Alcoa, Inc.
“The range of trade secrets and other sensitive business information stolen in this case is significant and demands an aggressive response,” said U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder at a press conference announcing the charges today in Washington, D.C. “Success in the global market place should be based solely on a company’s ability to innovate and compete, not on a sponsor government’s ability to spy and steal business secrets.”
“State actors engaged in cyber espionage for economic advantage are not immune from the law just because they hack under the shadow of their country’s flag,” added Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Carlin. “Cyber theft is real theft, and we will hold state-sponsored cyber thieves accountable as we would any other transnational criminal organization that steals our goods and breaks our laws.”
As FBI Executive Assistant Director Robert Anderson emphasized, “If you are going to attack Americans—whether for criminal or national security purposes—we are going to hold you accountable. No matter what country you live in.”
美国首次以网路间谍罪名起诉5名中共军人
大纪元
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/14/5/20/n4159315.htm
（大纪元记者龚平美国华府报导）中美网络间谍争议进一步升级。5月19日，美国司法部就5名中共军方官员网络入侵美国公司，盗取美国经济及商业机密的网络间谍活动做出刑事指控。这是美国政府就制裁网络攻击而做出的首宗针对外国政府官员的刑事指控案。
据美联社报导，美国司法部长霍尔德（Eric Holder）及多名联邦执法官员，于5月19日公布了这宗最新起诉书，被控方是来自中共军方的5名政府官员，他们曾在中共政府授意下，参与网络间谍活动，盗取美国私人部门和公司的商业秘密和经济情报。
这五名中共军方人员均为61398部队第3支队成员，61398部队此前也被美国称为“解放军黑客总部”。这五人分别是(音译): 孙凯良(Sun Kailiang)、黄镇宇(Huang Zhenyu)、文新宇(Wen Xinyu)、王东(Wang Dong)，以及顾春晖(Gu Chunhui)。指控内容主要是指这五人发动了对美国一家太阳能板企业的网络黑客攻击，窃取了该公司为某个核能发电厂提供的设计情报、造价、报价等重要信息。
霍尔德在司法部召开的记者会上说：“（涉案者）盗取的商业机密和其它敏感商业信息的数量和范围是相当可观的，必须对此给予有力的回应…打算在国际市场中取胜的唯一办法应该是依靠企业自身的创新力和竞争力，而不是依靠来自政府支持的间谍及商业情报的盗取活动。”
霍尔德表示，奥巴马政府“不会容忍来自任何政府的、非法的破坏美国公司的行为，以及有损（国际）自由市场诚实与公平竞争准则的行为。”
美国对这五人的指控更多是象征意义，因为预计中共当局不会交出这五人在美国法庭受审。但这一起诉意味着这五名中共军方人员未来将不能再访问美国或者与美国有引渡协议的国家。
FBI局长：重要的一步 还有更多工作要做
美国联邦调查局局长柯米（James Comey）说：“长久以来，中共政府公然利用网络间谍活动，为其国有企业获取经济上的优势。今天（美国司法部）公布的起诉书是重要的一步。但还有更多受害者，（我们）还有更多的工作要做。凭藉我们在刑事案件处理及国家安全方面的权威，我们将继续利用法律手段，阻止这样的网络间谍活动。”
美国助理总检察长卡林（John Karlin）说：“不要以为在政府庇护下的网络间谍活动可以获得法律上的豁免。虽然这属于国家行为，但同样要追究其法律责任。”
卡林说：“网络盗窃是一种真正的盗窃行为。就像我们对待其他偷窃我们产品和违法我们法律的跨国刑事犯罪组织一样，对这些由国家支持的网络盗贼，我们也同样追究其法律责任。”
美国政府官员早前指控中共军方及其他来自中共政府的黑客对美国工业和军事目标经常发起网络攻击，以窃取美方机密和知识产品。而北京方面对此一再否认。
去年9月，美国总统奥巴马在俄罗斯参加一项国际会议时，与中共当权者习近平进行私下会晤。两人针对网络安全问题，进行了讨论。
美国将扩大网络安全维护规模
今年3月，美国国防部长哈格尔（Chuck Hagel）在访问中国前夕，宣布国防部在未来几年中，将扩充维护网络安全的专业团队规模，使人数比现在至少增加3倍。
哈格尔说：“美国对网络空军的依赖已经超越了我们现有网络安全措施所及的范围。我们国家面临的问题是具破坏性的恶意软件在不断扩散和升级、破坏公共和私人网络的行为时有发生，包括对我们的供水、能源和粮食供应等工业控制系统的破坏，这些是我们面临的现实问题。”
来自中共的网侵 为数最多
《华盛顿邮报》19日报导指出，美国因遭商业网络间谍入侵所背负的经济损失，每年约有240亿到1200亿美元，而中共政府目前是针对美国开展这项网络入侵活动最广、最严重的国家。
为此，美国政府的一些高级官员曾多次警告，中共这种“顺手牵羊”，通过盗取美国知识产权而提高本国企业竞争优势的做法，将损害两国的双边关系。
2013年2月，美国安全公司Mandiant公布的报告指出，中共军方对美国及其他国家的私人部门和公司展开的网络攻击，超过140起。
(责任编辑：林诗远)