The White House has formally accused China of hacking Microsoft Exchange servers, a security campaign that was revealed in March 2021.
Microsoft Exchange Hack
In March 2021 Microsoft revealed it had been the victim of a series of hacks against its Exchange Server service. Multiple zero days were used to access these servers and their email accounts to install malware on victims’ systems.
In some cases, we are aware that PRC government-affiliated cyber operators have conducted ransomware operations against private companies that have included ransom demands of millions of dollars.
The PRC’s unwillingness to address criminal activity by contract hackers harms governments, businesses, and critical infrastructure operators through billions of dollars in lost intellectual property, proprietary information, ransom payments, and mitigation efforts.
At the time, Microsoft attributed these attacks to a Chinese state-sponsored group known as HAFNIUM. Now, the White House and a group of allies have officially condemned the Chinese government.
Chicago Mayor: You, Sir, are running a disreputable establishment, supported by known criminals; and we and the City Council, disapprove!
Al Capone: Is that so? Huh. I’ll have to look into it. Now, where were we? Oh yeah, my holdings in city construction…
Put another way:
Just as the US discovered in their dealings with Putin’s criminal hackers, this is less about tact than it is about tactics.
The Biden Administration needs to go a little old-style ‘Chicago Way’ here with China. Like Duke Ellington said, ‘It don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that swing’. The Biden Administration and the US allies need to glove 🥊 up and start swinging, then they can state their complaint. Once they’ve clocked a few of Xi’s thugs, he’ll be all ears.
Or as Jim Malone says in The Untouchables, ‘You wanna get Capone? Here’s how you get him. He pulls a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue!’
The only question is the one Malone puts to Elliot Ness, ‘Do you wanna get Capone?’.