A Chinese national, Xu Zewei, was extradited from Italy to the United States after being accused of participating in Silk Typhoon state-sponsored cyberattacks that targeted US universities and COVID-19 researchers. U.S. authorities allege he worked for Shanghai Powerock Network on behalf of China’s Ministry of State Security and SSSB, exploited Microsoft Exchange zero‑day vulnerabilities and deployed web shells, and now faces multiple criminal counts. #SilkTyphoon #MicrosoftExchange
Keypoints
- Xu Zewei was extradited from Italy to the U.S. after his July 2025 arrest on charges related to state-sponsored hacking.
- U.S. prosecutors allege Xu acted on behalf of China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) and Shanghai State Security Bureau (SSSB).
- Targets included US universities and COVID-19 researchers, with reported exfiltration from virologists’ and immunologists’ email accounts.
- Co-conspirators allegedly exploited Microsoft Exchange zero-day vulnerabilities worldwide and deployed web shells for persistent access.
- Xu faces nine criminal counts and potential lengthy prison time, while a named co-defendant, Zhang Yu, remains at large.
Read More: https://www.securityweek.com/alleged-chinese-state-hacker-extradited-to-us/