London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 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

0:00
0:00
Close
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
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×