Recent reports indicate that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating a hack of their internal computer network.
The FBI told The Epoch Times on Feb. 17 that it “is aware of the incident and is working to gain additional information. This is an isolated incident that has been contained. As this is an ongoing investigation, the FBI does not have further comment to provide at this time.”
CNN cited two unnamed sources who said the hack involved the FBI New York Field Office, which is one of the agency’s biggest offices. They did not offer information about the origin of the hack, which they said is still being investigated.
The FBI has been in the news recently due to congressional Republicans’ request to have the bureau investigate President Joe Biden’s appointee to the Asia-Pacific Economic Corporation (APEC) Business Advisory Council for alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and potential violations of the Espionage Act.
The Epoch Times previously reported that Lance Gooden (R-Texas) led six House Republicans in a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray about the nominee, Dominic Ng. The letter asserts that Ng, who was, at the time of his appointment, the chairman and CEO of East West Bank, had “existing Chinese Communist Party (CCP) ties” and had worked for two Chinese intelligence front groups.
“Between 2013 and 2017, [Ng] served as the executive director of the China Overseas Exchange Association which is a front organization for the United Front Work Department (UFWD),” the lawmakers noted. “UFWD is a Chinese intelligence service whose mission is to liaison with foreign political parties, influence operations, and collect intelligence.”
Cyber security has been on some lawmakers’ agenda, including Sen. Scott (R-Fla.) who proposed five bills to hold the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) accountable for actions that could affect U.S. national security. The bills include accountability proposals via sanctions and a crackdown on surveillance.
The laws are being introduced amid rising tensions between Washington and Beijing over the future of Taiwan, a self-governing island that China claims is part of its territory.
Since the downing of a Chinese spy balloon over the Atlantic—after it had traversed the continental United States and flown over critical military installations along the way—those tensions have ramped up.
In a statement accompanying the new bills, Scott said that the CCP’s recent “disturbing actions” serve as a reminder that CCP leader Xi Jinping will “stop at nothing to exploit Americans and take advantage of the United States.”
