Chinese hackers breach CFIUS

<< US Treasury Secretary expresses concern over Chinese hacking activities>>

CNN quoted three US officials familiar with the matter on Friday as saying that Chinese hackers breached the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a government agency that reviews foreign investments to ensure there are no risks to national security.

The report said the breach was part of a broader infiltration by hackers into the Treasury Department's unclassified system. The report did not say when the breach occurred.

Earlier, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen met virtually with China's vice premier and expressed concern about hacking activities carried out by state-backed actors, according to a statement from the US Treasury.

The department reported last month that an unspecified number of its devices had been compromised by Chinese hackers, following a security breach at BeyondTrust, a cybersecurity services company.

The two officials also discussed economic developments, with Yellen reiterating her concerns about China’s practices that don’t rely on free-market mechanisms such as supply and demand, as well as the problem of industrial overcapacity.

Chinese hackers have breached the computers of senior Treasury Department leaders as part of a recent breach of the agency, a U.S. official and another person familiar with the matter said.

The hackers were able to access unclassified material stored locally on the senior officials’ computers, which were among the laptops and desktops that were compromised, according to the individuals, who asked not to be identified.

Investigators have so far found nearly 100 government computers that were compromised.