US prosecutors say 34-year-old Xu Zewei hacked into universities to steal vaccine analysis throughout COVID-19 pandemic.
Revealed On 28 Apr 2026
Italy has extradited an accused Chinese language hacker wished in the US for allegedly stealing vaccine analysis on the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Italian authorities handed over the “harmful overseas hacker” to the US following his arrest in Milan final July on suspicion of conducting cyberattacks in opposition to universities and different establishments engaged in COVID-related analysis, the Italian Nationwide Police mentioned in an announcement on Monday.
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The suspect and his co-conspirators allegedly exploited cybersecurity flaws in electronic mail software program to focus on 1000’s of computer systems in a Chinese language state-sponsored cyber-espionage marketing campaign dubbed “Hafnium”, Italian police mentioned.
The US Division of Justice mentioned the suspect, 34-year-old Xu Zewei, had focused universities, immunologists, and virologists beneath the route of China’s Ministry of State Safety whereas employed on the “enabling” firm Shanghai Powerock Community.
Prosecutors mentioned the focused establishments included a college in southern Texas and a regulation agency with workplaces in Washington, DC, and worldwide.
Xu appeared within the US District Courtroom in Houston, Texas, on Monday to face 9 legal counts, together with wire fraud and conspiracy to acquire info by unauthorised entry to protected computer systems, in accordance with US prosecutors.
“The US is dedicated to pursuing hackers who steal info from US companies and universities and threaten our cybersecurity,” Assistant Lawyer Basic for Nationwide Safety John A Eisenberg mentioned in an announcement.
“I commend the prosecutors and investigators who’ve labored laborious and sought justice for years on this investigation, and we look ahead to proving our case in courtroom,” Eisenberg mentioned.
The Chinese language Embassy in Washington, DC, didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Beijing has beforehand denied conducting hacking operations within the US and elsewhere around the globe, branding such claims as “groundless accusations” and “smears”.
Xu’s attorneys in Italy and the US, Simona Candido and Dan Cogdell, didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
If convicted, Xu might withstand 20 years in jail for every rely of probably the most critical costs in opposition to him.
