DOJ and FBI Seize China-Linked QScan and QTRouter Platforms Used Against NASA, Federal Reserve and U.S. Agencies
The Justice Department and FBI seized domains supporting QScan and QTRouter, platforms allegedly used by China-linked actors against U.S. government and critical-infrastructure targets.
Why it matters: The operation is a high-profile example of U.S. authorities directly disrupting nation-state-linked cyber infrastructure rather than relying only on indictments or sanctions.
The U.S. Justice Department and FBI have seized internet infrastructure supporting two China-linked hacking platforms that authorities say were used to target sensitive government and critical-infrastructure networks. The platforms, known as QScan and QTRouter, were operated by a China-based company according to DOJ. Authorities identified NASA, the Federal Reserve, Department of Energy, Department of Justice, HHS, NIH and the U.S. Senate among organizations affected by the broader intrusion activity. DOJ says QScan automated compromise of vulnerable IoT devices, while QTRouter helped conceal malicious traffic by routing it through third-party systems.