Chinese Hackers Infiltrate US Treasury, Yellen’s Computers In Another Biden-Era Cyber Breach

State-sponsored Chinese hackers breached U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s computer, accessing thousands of unclassified documents in December, anonymous sources told Bloomberg on Thursday.

The hackers also infiltrated computers belonging to two of Yellen’s lieutenants, Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo and Acting Under Secretary Brad Smith, the report said. The breach is the latest in a series of Chinese-linked hacking incidents targeting federal officials and agencies throughout President Joe Biden’s term.

The Treasury wrote that Yellen “expressed serious concern about malicious cyber activity by state-sponsored actors and its impact on the bilateral relationship” in a Jan. 6 statement after the secretary met virtually with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng.

The Chinese hackers reportedly breached Yellen’s accounts along with over 400 other computers, accessing staffers’ login credentials and more than 3,000 unclassified files on personal devices. The operatives prioritized files related to sanctions, intelligence and international affairs ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration Monday, the outlet reported.

The Treasury alerted lawmakers to the initial breach in a Dec. 30 letter, which said Chinese operatives were able to “access certain unclassified documents.”