China-backed hackers spying on govts, India’s NIC among victims

A hacking group allegedly backed by the Chinese government has been attacking governments, NGOs, news publications and think tanks globally — including India’s National Informatics Centre (NIC) — sending them emails which, once opened, were used to steal their login credentials.

The group known as ‘RedAlpha’ has consistently spoofed login pages for NIC, which manages wider IT infrastructure and services for the Indian government. The hacking group weaponised some least 350 domains last year alone.

The China-sponsored hacking group spoofed organisations such as the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Amnesty International, the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS), Radio Free Asia (RFA), the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), and other global government, think tank, and humanitarian organisations that “fall within the strategic interests of the Chinese government”.