China-backed hackers stole at least $20 million worth of U.S. COVID-19 relief benefits in the last two years, according to the Secret Service.
Cybercriminal group APT41, also known as Winnti, conducted a mix of government-backed cyber intrusions and financially motivated data breaches during which the group stole monies intended for Americans put out of work by COVID-19 related measures, according to a report first published by NBC.
A spokesperson for the Secret Service confirmed the veracity of the report in an email, but declined to provide further details on the case.
APT41 is known to engage in both financially motivated attacks and in espionage efforts directed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which rules China as a single-party state….