Chinese spies used code copied from America’s NSA for hacking operations, researchers say

  • Features in malware so similar they could only have been stolen from break-in tools leaked online, according to Check Point Software Technologies
  • Head of research describes the malicious ‘Jian’ software as ‘kind of a copycat, a Chinese replica’

It is not clear how the China-linked malware analysed by Check Point was used. Photo: Reuters
Chinese spies used code first developed by the US National Security Agency to support their hacking operations, Israeli researchers said on Monday, another indication of how malicious software developed by governments can boomerang against their creators.

Tel Aviv-based Check Point Software Technologies issued a report noting that some features in a piece of China-linked malware it dubs “Jian” were so similar they could only have been stolen from some of the National Security Agency break-in tools leaked to the internet in 2017.

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