China hacked at least six U.S. state governments, report says

NBCNews | Mandiant, a cybersecurity firm, did not identify the penetrated states or provide a purpose for the hacks, which are thought to have been carried out by a group known as APT41.

According to a report released Tuesday by a private cybersecurity firm, hackers working for the Chinese government broke into the computer networks of at least six state governments in the United States in the last year.

Mandiant's report does not name the penetrated states or give a reason for the incursions, which began in May. However, APT41, the Chinese group suspected of being behind the hacks, is notorious for conducting hacking operations for both traditional espionage and financial gain.

"While the ongoing crisis in Ukraine has deservedly captivated the world's attention, we must remember that other key threat actors throughout the world are continuing their activities as-is," said Geoff Ackerman, a principal threat analyst with Mandiant Inc. in Reston, Virginia.

"We cannot let other cyber activities fall by the wayside," he continued in his statement, "particularly given our observations that this campaign from APT41, one of the most prolific threat actors globally, continues to this day."