Congress is considering new legislation that would level sanctions on Chinese, Russian, and Iranian hackers who steal sensitive U.S. data, including new research on the coronavirus.
The legislation came the same day the Trump administration unveiled an unprecedented indictment against two Chinese hackers who the United States alleges stole proprietary American data, including coronavirus research from medical institutions.
U.S. law enforcement officials said the Communist Party-backed hackers had been running state-backed espionage operations for at least the last 10 years.
Congress is now moving on the issue, with the first salvo being a bill by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy that would expand U.S. sanctions to cover those who engage in any hacks that endanger American national security.
Since the coronavirus pandemic erupted, Chinese hackers have stepped up their attacks on the U.S. government, medical institutions, and research organizations.
McCarthy's proposed legislation, dubbed the Defend COVID Research from Hackers Act, would authorize the president to level sanctions on any foreign individual engaged in cyber-related crimes deemed a threat to the United States.
The bill would also require the State Department and director of national intelligence to inform Congress about all known cyber-related crimes committed by foreign nations, including hacks related to the coronavirus.
The legislation came the same day the Trump administration unveiled an unprecedented indictment against two Chinese hackers who the United States alleges stole proprietary American data, including coronavirus research from medical institutions.
U.S. law enforcement officials said the Communist Party-backed hackers had been running state-backed espionage operations for at least the last 10 years.
Congress is now moving on the issue, with the first salvo being a bill by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy that would expand U.S. sanctions to cover those who engage in any hacks that endanger American national security.
Since the coronavirus pandemic erupted, Chinese hackers have stepped up their attacks on the U.S. government, medical institutions, and research organizations.
McCarthy's proposed legislation, dubbed the Defend COVID Research from Hackers Act, would authorize the president to level sanctions on any foreign individual engaged in cyber-related crimes deemed a threat to the United States.
The bill would also require the State Department and director of national intelligence to inform Congress about all known cyber-related crimes committed by foreign nations, including hacks related to the coronavirus.
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