Italy Extradites Suspect Accused of Chinese Cyber Espionage to the US

Italian authorities have extradited a Chinese national, Xu Zewei, to the United States on suspicion of conducting cyberattacks against universities and institutions engaged in COVID-19 research. The suspect, 34 years old, was arrested in Milan last July and is accused of targeting thousands of computers as part of a state-sponsored cyber-espionage campaign.

According to US prosecutors, Xu targeted institutions, including a university in southern Texas and a law firm with offices worldwide, under the direction of China’s Ministry of State Security. The suspect allegedly exploited cybersecurity flaws in email software to gain unauthorized access to protected computers.

Xu appeared in the US District Court in Houston, Texas, on Monday to face nine criminal counts, including wire fraud and conspiracy to obtain information by unauthorized access to protected computers. If convicted, Xu could face up to 20 years in prison for each count of the most serious charges against him.

The US Department of Justice stated that the country is committed to pursuing individuals who steal information from US businesses and universities and threaten its cybersecurity. The Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC, has previously denied conducting hacking operations in the US and elsewhere around the world, branding such claims as “groundless accusations” and “smears”. Xu’s lawyers have declined to comment on the case.

Source: Al Jazeera