Security News > 2020 > December > How China Uses Stolen US Personnel Data

China's spies "Were actively using that for counterintelligence and offensive intelligence. The capability was there and was being utilized." China had also stepped up its hacking efforts targeting biometric and passenger data from transit hubs.

To be sure, China had stolen plenty of data before discovering how deeply infiltrated it was by U.S. intelligence agencies.

For U.S. intelligence personnel, these new capabilities made China's successful hack of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management that much more chilling.

During the OPM breach, Chinese hackers stole detailed, often highly sensitive personnel data from 21.5 million current and former U.S. officials, their spouses, and job applicants, including health, residency, employment, fingerprint, and financial data.

China "Collects bulk personal data to help it track dissidents or other perceived enemies of China around the world," Evanina, the top U.S. counterintelligence official, said.

News URL

https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2020/12/how-china-uses-stolen-us-personnel-data.html