US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's computer was compromised as part of a larger cyberattack suspected to have been carried out by Chinese state-sponsored hackers, who also targeted two of Yellen’s senior aides.
According to sources familiar with the breach cited in a Bloomberg report, hackers accessed fewer than 50 unclassified files on Yellen’s device.
The attackers also infiltrated the computers of Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo and Acting Under Secretary Brad Smith, the report said, adding that Treasury spokesperson Chris Hayden declined to comment on the matter Thursday.
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The breach, which has been linked to the Chinese government, marks the latest in a series of high-profile hacks targeting US federal agencies. While the attackers focused on Treasury’s involvement in sanctions, intelligence, and international affairs, they did not access the department’s email systems or classified information, according to a Treasury report reviewed by Bloomberg.
Hackers accessed over 3,000 files
On Wednesday and Thursday, Treasury officials briefed Capitol Hill lawmakers and aides about the hack while the Senate Finance Committee held a confirmation hearing for Scott Bessent, President-elect Donald Trump’s Treasury Secretary nominee.
{{/usCountry}}On Wednesday and Thursday, Treasury officials briefed Capitol Hill lawmakers and aides about the hack while the Senate Finance Committee held a confirmation hearing for Scott Bessent, President-elect Donald Trump’s Treasury Secretary nominee.
{{/usCountry}}In addition to Yellen’s aides, the hackers infiltrated more than 400 computers and accessed over 3,000 files, including sensitive law enforcement data related to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US, the report mentioned, adding that the breach was discovered after software contractor BeyondTrust Corp. notified Treasury on December 8 that the hackers had exploited the company's networks to infiltrate the department.
The cyberattack has been attributed to a Chinese state-sponsored group known as ‘Silk Typhoon’ and ‘UNC5221’, which reportedly operated outside of normal working hours to avoid detection.
Chinese officials have denied involvement in the hack, calling the allegations “unwarranted and groundless.”
This follows a similar breach in 2023, where Chinese hackers were accused of accessing email accounts of senior US government officials, including Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns.