14 DAY TRIAL // Shortly after security firm Mandiant released its report on the APT1 Chinese espionage campaign, some experts said that the hackers would likely start cleaning their tracks. According to Mandiant executives, they’ve already stopped most of their activities and they’ve attempted to clean up their online presence.
According to The Hill, Mandiant CSO Richard Bejtlich told the leaders of the Senate Armed Service Committee's subpanel on Emerging Threats and Capabilities that the hackers behind the APT campaign had started changing their infrastructure and the public databases used by researchers to identify them.
“I think this whole group just went bye-bye for now, the APT1. They did a few things and then nothing. I think they showed up to work that day and went, 'Wow, New Years is over.',” Mandiant CEO Kevin Mandia, who also took part in the briefing, told reporters.
“And then they started doing things and I think their efforts just deteriorated and waned. I don't think they're active right now.”
Bejtlich has highlighted the fact that the Chinese hackers are mainly looking for intellectual property because they believe it could help their national security and their economy.
On the other hand, the CSO says that they’re not certain that the Chinese hackers are part of the military. However, they're “government sanctioned.”
During the briefing, Mandia explained that the unit covered in their report was only one element of a larger campaign in which a lot of money was invested, AFP reports.
“Based on that investment, it's hard to conclude anything other than that there's an advantage being gained from that investment,” Mandia noted.
China has often denied the accusations brought against it. The newly elected Chinese prime minister has urged the US to focus its efforts on more important things than making baseless accusations.
On the other hand, the US national security advisor has instructed China to start investigating these cyberattacks.