Recently, Italian authorities arrested Xu Zewei, a Chinese national accused of hacking into American computer systems, on behalf of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This represents the first time a Chinese hacker has been apprehended by the FBI.

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From Just the News:

When Chinese national Xu Zewei stepped off a plane at Milan’s Malpensa airport for a vacation with his wife, Italian authorities arrested him. The Italians executed an American warrant issued by investigators for his alleged role in the most prolific Beijing-backed cyber-espionage campaign in recent years.

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The Justice Department announced Xu’s arrest earlier this week and outlined the charges against him as part of a nine-count indictment along with one codefendant. The pair are accused of involvement in computer intrusions that compromised personal data, intellectual property, COVID-19 research at U.S. universities, and law firm materials, the Justice Department said.

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Xu, along with a coconspirator identified as Zhang Yu, allegedly hacked into computer systems between 2020 and 2021, including as part of the HAFNIUM computer intrusion campaign that compromised thousands of computers globally by exploiting vulnerabilities in a Microsoft product. Xu is expected to be extradited to the U.S. The Justice Department said that Zhang is still at large.

For years, Chinese hackers have targeted various industries and companies in America. IFA has even covered some of these attacks. This case, however, marks the first time our law enforcement has brought one of these hackers to justice.

President Trump has made combatting Chinese cyber crimes a priority in his second term. Earlier this year, he signed an executive order designed to improve “critical protections” against foreign cyber threats, both in the public and private sectors. As Just the News notes, however, executive orders are not the only tool at his disposal:

To defend against Beijing’s cyber espionage, the Trump administration has pursued criminal charges against Chinese hackers for campaigns across the U.S. against both public and private entities. Earlier this year, the Justice Department charged 12 Chinese nationals for allegedly hacking U.S. companies, government agencies, and cities. The hacks targeted U.S.-based critics of Beijing, foreign ministries of other Asian governments, and U.S. federal and state agencies, CNN reported.

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Chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., said in March that the Trump administration is also looking to mount “aggressive,” offensive cyber operations against Beijing.

How effective these efforts will be in stopping cyber crime remains to be seen. For now, however, let’s ask God to protect our nation and to bring those who would target it to justice!

How are you praying about our cybersecurity and cyber crime? Share your prayers and scriptures below.

(Excerpt from Just the News. Photo Credit: Tunvarat Pruksachat/Getty Images)