● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportMedium impact1 neutral
US Offers $10 Million Reward for Accused Chinese 'Hafnium' Hacker Zhang Yu
Key points
- US offers $10 million reward for Zhang Yu.
- Zhang Yu accused in Hafnium hacking campaign.
- Allegedly stole COVID-19 research and other data.
- Worked for Chinese government intelligence services.
Reward Issued for Accused Hacker
The US State Department has announced a $10 million reward for information that leads to the location and arrest of Zhang Yu. Zhang is a Chinese national identified as a key figure in the Hafnium hacking campaign, which targeted computer systems globally.
Allegations of State-Sponsored Hacking
US officials claim Zhang, who directs Shanghai Firetech Information Science and Technology, operated on behalf of the Chinese government. The hacking efforts allegedly involved breaching thousands of computers and stealing documents and emails, including COVID-19 research from US universities, immunologists, and virologists. Zhang is accused of violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act through these cyberattacks.
Indictment and Co-Conspirator Arrest
A nine-count indictment unveiled last year accused Zhang and Xu Zewei of computer intrusions between February 2020 and June 2021, including the Hafnium campaign. Prosecutors stated the hacks were conducted at the direction of China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) and Shanghai State Security Bureau (SSSB) intelligence services. Xu Zewei was arrested in Italy in July 2025 and extradited to the US in April, while Zhang remains at large.
Impact of Hafnium Campaign
The Hafnium campaign reportedly targeted over 60,000 US entities, successfully compromising more than 12,700 to steal sensitive information. This broad impact highlights the scale of the alleged state-sponsored cyber espionage.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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Reporting from
The US State Department is offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Zhang Yu, a Chinese national accused of involvement in the Hafnium hacking campaign. Zhang allegedly worked for the Chinese government to breach thousands of computers, steal data, and target COVID-19 research.