Ethical Hacking News
Italian authorities have arrested a Chinese national suspected of cyberespionage on a U.S. warrant, linking him to the infamous Silk Typhoon APT group. Zewei Xu, 33, was arrested at Milan's Malpensa Airport after arriving from China, and faces extradition proceedings in Italy. The suspect is accused of carrying out attacks against U.S. government agencies and intellectual property theft, and his case highlights the ongoing efforts to combat cyber espionage and intellectual property theft by nation-state actors.
Zewei Xu, a 33-year-old Chinese national, was arrested at Milan's Malpensa Airport on a U.S. warrant. Xu is suspected of being part of the Silk Typhoon APT group, accused of cyberespionage and targeting U.S. government agencies. The Hafnium group carried out high-profile attacks in 2020, including targeting U.S. COVID-19 vaccine research at the University of Texas. Xu faces extradition proceedings in Italy, with his lawyer calling the accusations "fanciful" and the interior ministry citing flight risk. The incident highlights the ongoing efforts to combat cyber espionage and intellectual property theft by nation-state actors.
Pierluigi Paganini here to bring you the latest news from the world of cyber security. In this article, we will delve into the story of a Chinese national who was arrested by Italian authorities at Milan's Malpensa Airport on a U.S. warrant, suspected of being part of the infamous Silk Typhoon APT group.
According to reports, Zewei Xu, a 33-year-old Chinese national, was arrested on July 3rd after arriving on a flight from China. The suspect was accused of cyberespionage and was linked to the Hafnium (also known as Silk Typhoon) group, which has been notorious for carrying out attacks against U.S. government agencies, including the US Treasury.
The Hafnium group is believed to have carried out a series of high-profile attacks in 2020, targeting U.S. COVID-19 vaccine research at the University of Texas, among other targets. The group's tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) are thought to be employed by other APT groups as well.
Xu is also accused of being part of a "large-scale cyber intrusion campaign orchestrated" by the Chinese government, which targeted thousands of computers around the world to obtain information on "various U.S. government policies." The suspect's family claims that he is an innocent IT technician, while his wife opposes his extradition, stating that his Italian visa proves no wrongdoing and that he works as an IT manager at Shanghai GTA Semiconductor Ltd.
Italian authorities seized the documents and devices of the suspect as requested by the U.S. authorities, and Xu now faces extradition proceedings in Italy. The suspect's lawyer has called the accusations "fanciful," while the interior ministry has confirmed his arrest citing flight risk.
The incident highlights the ongoing efforts to combat cyber espionage and intellectual property theft by nation-state actors. It also underscores the importance of international cooperation in sharing intelligence and best practices to stay ahead of these threats.
In recent months, there have been several high-profile cases of cyber espionage and intellectual property theft attributed to Chinese nationals and groups. The incident involving Xu is a reminder that cyber security threats are a global issue, requiring a collective effort from governments, industries, and individuals to mitigate.
As the cyber security landscape continues to evolve, it is essential to stay informed about the latest developments and trends in the field. In this article, we have provided an overview of the incident involving Zewei Xu and the Silk Typhoon APT group. We hope that our readers will find this information helpful in staying up-to-date on the latest cyber security news and threats.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/The-Silk-Typhoon-APT-Group-Italian-Authorities-Arrest-a-Chinese-National-Suspected-of-Cyberespionage-on-US-Warrant-ehn.shtml
https://securityaffairs.com/179730/intelligence/italian-police-arrested-a-chinese-national-suspected-of-cyberespionage-on-a-u-s-warrant.html
Published: Tue Jul 8 13:19:11 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
