Ethical Hacking News
Chinese agents caught rebuilding botnets and stirring the pot on AI datacenter debate, using American AI to gather information and manipulate public opinion, raising concerns about national security.
China-linked operators have rebuilt a botnet called Volt Typhoon, which had previously targeted critical US networks.The botnet's resurgence is attributed to Chinese government-backed operatives using American AI and social media platforms for covert operations.OpenAI's ChatGPT was used by banned accounts from China to generate content for propaganda and sway public opinion on AI datacenters and tech policies.Chinese operatives have been accused of using fake websites, job offers, and other tactics to gather information and manipulate public opinion.The resurgence of the botnet raises concerns about national security and the potential for AI systems to be used as tools for espionage.
China-linked operators have been caught rebuilding a botnet, known as Volt Typhoon, which had previously used a covert network of connected devices to burrow deep into critical US networks and preposition for future destructive attacks. The botnet, also known as KV-botnet, had been dismantled by the FBI in January 2024, but its remnants have since surged back to life, with over 1,500 compromised routers and IoT devices.
The resurgence of the botnet is attributed to Chinese government-backed operatives who continue to use every tech tool at their disposal, including American AI, to amass data on and manipulate everyone from security-clearance holders to everyday US citizens. The operatives have also been found to be using social media platforms, such as X, to spread propaganda and sway public opinion.
One of the most notable examples of this is a cluster of banned ChatGPT accounts that were likely originating from China and used OpenAI's models to generate content for covert operations about American AI. The accounts were discovered by OpenAI's Intelligence and Investigations team, which found that they had been using ChatGPT to generate social media content and images for an operation claiming that datacenters and AI applications are increasing electricity demand and causing higher costs for ordinary Americans.
Another cluster of banned ChatGPT accounts was also found to be using the platform to write comments and draw political cartoons criticizing US tech policies and tariffs. The accounts, all writing prompts in simplified Chinese and using VPNs to access the AI systems, also used ChatGPT to edit work reports and help design social media monitoring systems.
The fact that these clusters of banned accounts were able to evade detection and continue to operate without success is significant, according to Ben Nimmo, principal investigator on OpenAI's Intelligence and Investigations team. "Neither campaign appears to have gained much authentic engagement," he said. "They're important for what they reveal about the intentions of influence operators from China and the narratives they're testing and seeking to amplify."
The Chinese government has been accused of using various tactics to gather information and manipulate public opinion, including the use of fake websites and job offers promising cash for state secrets. The US Justice Department recently obtained a warrant for and seized 13 fake consulting company websites used to target US persons, including current and former security clearance holders with access to classified and sensitive government information.
The resurgence of the botnet and the continued efforts by Chinese operatives to gather information and manipulate public opinion have raised concerns about national security and the potential for AI systems to be used as tools for espionage. As the debate around building datacenters for AI continues, it is clear that China-linked operators will continue to play a significant role in shaping the narrative.
Chinese agents caught rebuilding botnets and stirring the pot on AI datacenter debate, using American AI to gather information and manipulate public opinion, raising concerns about national security.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/Chinese-Agents-Caught-Rebuilding-Botnets-and-Stirring-the-AI-Datacenter-Debate-ehn.shtml
https://www.theregister.com/security/2026/06/11/china-linked-operators-revive-botnet-stir-ai-datacenter-debate/5253873
Published: Wed Jun 10 21:39:05 2026 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
