Chinese Hacking Group Impersonates AI Experts to Steal Data

A Chinese hacking group known as TA419 impersonated U.S. AI experts and former government officials to steal emails and passwords from researchers at universities, think tanks, and defense contractors. The group targeted fewer than 10 individuals, including Alex Engler of the Penn Center on Media, Technology, and Democracy, by sending emails that proposed AI collaborations to lure targets to password-stealing websites.

Cybersecurity firm Proofpoint identified the campaign and noted that the hackers posed as high-profile figures, including Lynne Parker, the former principal deputy director of the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy, and a senior employee at Anthropic. Proofpoint attributed the activity to Chinese government-aligned actors based on the malware used and a consistent focus on U.S. AI regulation and national strategy.

This activity follows a broader pattern of targeting organizations in the United States and Japan since 2025. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment regarding the allegations.