Xu Zewei, a Chinese national wanted on a nine-count indictment in the Southern District of Texas, was arrested on July 3 in Italy and faces extradition proceedings, according to the Justice Department.
Xu and co-defendant Zhang Yu hacked into thousands of computers worldwide between February 2020 and June 2021 at the direction of People’s Republic of China Ministry of State Security’s (MSS) Shanghai State Security Bureau (SSSB). Zhang remains at large.
Xu has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud, two counts of intentional damage to a protected computer, aggravated identity theft, two counts of obtaining information by unauthorized access to protected computers, and conspiracy to cause damage to and obtain information by unauthorized access to protected computers, to commit wire fraud, and to commit identity theft.
Xu worked for a company named Shanghai Powerock Network Co. while conducting the computer intrusions. According to court documents, Xu and his co-conspirators hacked and targeted U.S.-based immunologists, virologists and universities conducting research into COVID‑19 vaccines, treatment and testing in early 2020. They reported their activities to SSSB officers.
The co-conspirators also exploited vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange Server and used it for a campaign targeting thousands of computers worldwide.