Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Jul 14, 2025

FBI Hacks Vulnerable US Computers in Sweeping Takedown of Malware Blamed on China

FBI Hacks Vulnerable US Computers in Sweeping Takedown of Malware Blamed on China

Software giant Microsoft accused China of orchestrating a hack attack in March, alleging that a “state-sponsored threat actor” referred to as “Hafnium” had taken advantage of multiple security vulnerabilities in Microsoft’s email service software to steal data.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been hacking into “hundreds” of vulnerable computers of US companies to remove malware from their software, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Tuesday.

The operation, approved by a federal court, presupposed wiping out “back doors” into American-based servers that were earlier exposed to malware by a Microsoft Exchange vulnerability identified by the company, reported The Washington Post.

“Today’s court-authorised removal of the malicious web shells demonstrates the Department’s commitment to disrupt hacking activity using all of our legal tools, not just prosecutions,” Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers of the Justice Department’s National Security Division said in a statement.

With the hacking operation still ongoing, the DOJ said it was “committed to playing its integral and necessary role in such efforts.”

HackersExploit 'Flaws'


The move comes after Microsoft accused Chinese hackers of carrying out a massive and sophisticated cyber attack on its Exchange email service in March.

The software giant claimed that a “state-sponsored threat actor” referred to as “Hafnium” had exploited multiple security flaws in Microsoft’s email service software – now fixed – to steal data and plant malware from January 2021.

China dismissed the claims, with Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin saying Beijing “firmly opposes and combats cyber attacks and cyber theft in all forms,” and warning that blaming any nation without providing evidence is a “highly sensitive political issue."

Sweeping ‘Takedown’


In line with the sweeping recent "takedown," the FBI ran insecure versions of Microsoft software in order to patch the flaws, in other words, exploiting the same weaknesses in the servers that have still not been fixed to preclude further hacking attacks.

Cyber space


The shells removed by law enforcement “each had a unique file path and name, they may have been more challenging for individual server owners to detect and eliminate than other web shells,” according to the DOJ.

US officials and Microsoft claim the damage from the major security flaw allowed hackers to infiltrate the servers of at least 30,000 American organisations.

While removing malware placed by one hacker group, the operation carried out by the FBI stopped short of actively fixing the underlying vulnerability.

This leaves the affected computers vulnerable to malware in the future, unless their owners take action to protect them. The FBI is “attempting” to notify all the owners, it added.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
×