US officials revise claims that government agencies were hacked by Chinese, now say they were targets

US authorities revise claims that administration agencies were hacked by Chinese, now say they were targets The distinction matters since it narrows the scope of confirmed breaches in what the DOJ described as a years-long Chinese cyber-espionage campaign against U.S.

Key points

• 3 min read New Delhi Aug 31, 2026 06: 31 AM IST.
• The affidavit alleges that in September 2024, the hackers carried out computer intrusions at three DOE National Laboratories, NIH, ‌an HHS agency, and a U.S.
• Cybersecurity reservations have intensified throughout Europe after GCHQ cautioned of increasing hostile activity linked to Russia targeting infrastructure, supply chains and public institutions.(Representative image: Unsplash@hidd3n).
• Messages seeking clarification from the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure ⁠Security Agency were not immediately returned on Friday.
• The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.

U.S. Authorities are correcting earlier statements that a number of administration agencies were hacked by Chinese hackers, now saying that the organizations were among the hackers' targets.

In a newly edited statement, the Department of Justice remarked on Friday that the U.S. Senate, the Federal Reserve, NASA ⁠and others were "among the targets of QTFY, " a Chinese state- hacking group that authorities identified on Wednesday during an internet domain seizure operation. A previous version of the statement remarked the administration agencies had been among the hackers' victims.

According to A note left at the bottom of the newly edited statement, "Edits have been made to ensure this press release accurately reflects the government's allegations in the affidavit in support of the ⁠domain seizures."

In practice, the DOJ remarked on Friday it produced a correction to the press release since the August 26 release "described all agencies as victims whereas the government's affidavit ‌made clear that all were targeted but only some were compromised." Affidavit details targets since 2018.

Since at least 2018 the hackers "targeted" U.S. Federal networks including those of NASA, the Federal Reserve, the Department of Energy, the Department of Justice, the Department of Health ⁠and Human Services, the National ⁠Institutes of Health, and the U.S, according to the FBI affidavit published alongside the original statement. Senate.

According to A footnote in the affidavit, the FBI investigated the targeting of NASA and identified that ⁠the attempted breach of NASA was ‌unsuccessful due to the agency's patching of targeted software.

Notably, the affidavit alleges that in September 2024, the hackers carried out "computer intrusions" at three "DOE National Laboratories, NIH, ‌an HHS agency, and a U.S. Security device manufacturer, " and referred to the entities as "victims." A separate joint cybersecurity advisory issued by the FBI, National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber ‌Command's Cyber National Mission Force published on Wednesday listed successful data thefts from unnamed defense contractors, financial institutions and universities in May 2024, and unsuccessful attempts to access networks of the U.S. Senate and a U.S. Hospital in March 2026.

In practice, the Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday. In response to Wednesday's announcement, an embassy spokesperson remarked the U.S. Uses cybersecurity ‌to "smear or discredit ⁠China" and that China "opposes the U.S. Overstretching the concept of national security and using it as a pretext to impose discriminatory restrictions on Chinese companies and will firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies." © IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd.

Taken together, the developments around US officials revise claims that government agencies were hacked by Chinese, now point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.