Washington [US], January 5 : A recent cybersecurity breach of the US Treasury Department, attributed to China-backed hackers, has raised concerns among senior lawmakers in Washington, according to Radio Free Asia (RFA).
The breach, which occurred through the compromise of a third-party software provider, allowed hackers to gain access to unclassified documents and workstations within the Treasury's systems. While the Treasury Department confirmed the breach, it reported that there is no evidence suggesting the hackers still have access to sensitive information.
In response to the breach, Senators Tim Scott, ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee, and French Hill, Vice Chair of the House Financial Services Committee, expressed deep concern over the incident, urging Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to brief Congress within eight days.
"This breach of federal government information is extremely concerning," they wrote, emphasising the importance of protecting American data from foreign adversaries, especially China, which they accuse of attempting to undermine US security and interests.
The Treasury Department stated it is working closely with cybersecurity experts, the FBI, intelligence agencies, and independent investigators to assess the full extent of the damage. However, it has yet to clarify which specific documents were compromised.
The department also confirmed it has terminated the services of the affected third-party provider, potentially mitigating further risk.
In a statement, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed the US allegations as "groundless," with spokesperson Mao Ning rejecting accusations of state-sponsored hacking. "China opposes all forms of hacking," she said, adding that the US claims were part of a political narrative aimed at discrediting China, according to RFA.
The breach follows a growing trend of Chinese cyber operations targeting US infrastructure. In November, reports revealed that a Chinese hacking group, Salt Typhoon, had infiltrated a major telecommunications company, monitoring both political figures and key government communications.