Key Takeaways:
- Chinese hackers target AI experts by using a former official’s identity to target artificial intelligence experts.
- Cybersecurity firm Proofpoint reported the targeted phishing campaign on Thursday.
- The attackers sought information about United States policy plans.
Chinese hackers impersonated a former White House official to target artificial intelligence experts with phishing emails on Thursday. The attackers were seeking sensitive information about U.S. policy through fake online messages.
Hackers Impersonate Former White House Official
Cybersecurity company Proofpoint said Chinese hackers target AI experts in a campaign against AI researchers and policy experts. The attackers used the identity of Lynne Parker, a former White House official, to trick selected victims. Parker previously served as principal deputy director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
The fake emails invited experts to join a new policy project or work on official research and reports. The messages included shortened links that sent recipients through several websites before taking them to fake login pages designed to steal passwords and other account details.
Proofpoint said the campaign targeted fewer than 10 people across a small number of specialized organizations. The limited target list suggests that the attackers were looking for specific information rather than trying to reach large numbers of people.
Experts Notice Suspicious Emails
Alex Engler, a former government official who now heads the Penn Center on Media, Technology, and Democracy, received one of the fake emails. He said the message appeared to come from Parker and mentioned an upcoming AI project.
Engler said something about the email seemed unusual, so he checked with colleagues and realized it was fake. Parker later confirmed that she was one of two people who received suspicious emails in early July.
Security experts advise people to verify unexpected emails as Chinese hackers target AI experts, especially messages asking them to join projects, share information, or sign in through a link. Checking through a separate contact method can help confirm whether a message is genuine.
Analysts Examine The Reason Behind The Campaign
The campaign appears to focus on gathering information about U.S. policy rather than only stealing technology. Parker said the United States and China are competing closely in advanced AI, making efforts to collect information from people involved in policymaking unsurprising.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the incident. Beijing has repeatedly rejected accusations that it carries out cyber espionage against foreign political targets.
Security analysts expect Chinese hackers targeting AI experts and other state-backed hacker groups to continue using the identities of real experts and officials to target people in important fields.
Organizations in government, technology, and other sensitive sectors remain at risk from these carefully targeted email scams.
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