Chinese Silk Typhoon Hacker Extradited to U.S. Over COVID Research Cyberattacks
In April 2026, Chinese national Xu Zewei was extradited from Italy to the United States to face charges related to cyberattacks conducted between February 2020 and June 2021. Xu, allegedly operating under the direction of China's Ministry of State Security, targeted U.S. universities and organizations to steal COVID-19 research data. He exploited vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange Server, compromising thousands of systems worldwide. Xu was arrested in Milan in July 2025 and now faces multiple charges, including wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. ([justice.gov](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/prolific-chinese-state-sponsored-contract-hacker-extradited-italy?utm_source=openai)) This incident underscores the persistent threat posed by state-sponsored cyber espionage, particularly in the context of global health crises. The extradition highlights international cooperation in combating cybercrime and the ongoing need for robust cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive research and infrastructure.
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