Wiley Rein, a prominent law firm in Washington, D.C., has informed clients that it suspects Chinese government-affiliated hackers breached the email accounts of some of its attorneys and advisers. The firm believes this was an intelligence-gathering operation, with the attackers likely seeking information related to trade, Taiwan, and U.S. government agencies involved in setting tariffs and reviewing foreign investments. This cyberattack comes as the Trump administration has escalated its trade war with China, imposing new tariffs on Chinese exports, which has heightened the need for both governments to understand each other’s positions. Wiley Rein is a key player in this landscape, advising US companies and the government on navigating the complexities of the trade dispute.
The law firm, which boasts a client list including Fortune 500 companies and a team of top trade attorneys, acknowledges that it is still investigating the full extent of the breach and what specific information the hackers may have accessed. Wiley Rein has also notified law enforcement, specifically the FBI, which typically handles high-profile hacks with national security implications, and is coordinating with them on the investigation. Additionally, the firm has engaged Mandiant, a Google-owned security firm, to remediate the hack.
This incident is not isolated.
It represents the latest in a series of suspected Chinese intrusions into US organizations that handle sensitive trade or investment matters. For instance, in January, Chinese hackers reportedly breached a U.S. government office responsible for reviewing foreign investments for national security risks. These foreign investment reviews are a critical aspect of the relationship between the world’s two largest economies, as demonstrated by the Trump administration’s recent blocking of a Hong Kong-based firm’s acquisition of Jupiter Systems due to potential national security risks.
US officials across various administrations have long grappled with China’s sophisticated cyber capabilities.
The FBI has stated that China’s hacking program is more extensive than that of all other foreign governments combined. The breach of Wiley Rein could therefore become another open investigation in the FBI’s growing list of Beijing-linked cyber-espionage cases.
The FBI is currently addressing other major Chinese compromises, including a sweeping attack on US telecommunication providers that targeted the phone communications of senior US leaders. While the FBI believes the telecom firms have contained those hackers, the agency notes that China’s “cyber doctrine is more than access; it’s about building long-term leverage.” This ongoing threat underscores the persistent challenge posed by Chinese cyber activities to US national security and economic interests.
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