Beware: ‘Cloudhopper’ is on hacking spree

WASHINGTON: The US government has warned that a hacking group widely known as ‘cloudhopper’ has launched attacks on technology service providers in a campaign to steal data from their clients. The Department of Homeland issued a technical alert for ‘cloudhopper,’ which it said was engaged in cyber espionage and theft of intellectual property, after experts with two prominent US cybersecurity companies warned earlier this week that Chinese hacking activity has surged amid the escalating trade war between Washington and Beijing. Homeland Security released the information to support US companies in responding to attacks by the group, which is targeting information technology, energy, healthcare, communications and manufacturing firms. “These cyber threat actors are still active and we strongly encourage our partners in government and industry to work together to defend against this threat,” DHS official Christopher Krebs said in a statement. — Reuters