Ta419 - GoKawiil

Proofpoint ties TA419 hackers to phishing of US AI policy experts

Proofpoint researchers reported that China-linked group TA419 ran a July phishing campaign impersonating US officials, including a former White House science and technology policy staffer, to steal credentials from AI experts at US think tanks, universities, defense contractors and law firms. The campaign followed similar activity in February, when the group posed as an Anthropic employee to target a think tank AI policy expert, and is part of a pattern Proofpoint says dates back to at least April 2025.

darkreading.com · 2026-10-05

Proofpoint: China-aligned hackers posed as Anthropic staff to target AI policy experts

Cybersecurity firm Proofpoint reported that a suspected China-aligned hacking group, tracked as TA419, impersonated Anthropic employees and a former White House official to approach AI policy experts at think tanks, universities and law firms. The attackers used fake invitations to join an AI policy advisory group or contribute to a fictitious Senate report, then sent malware-laced documents aimed at compromising victims' cloud accounts. One email impersonating a senior Anthropic staffer referenced 'military integration of Claude' to lure a think-tank target.

futurism.com · 2026-10-04