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U.S. Investigates Malware Email Linked to China Targeting Trade Talks

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U.S. authorities are probing a malware-laden email disguised as coming from Republican Representative John Moolenaar, aimed at infiltrating organizations connected to U.S.-China trade negotiations, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.

The July email was sent to trade groups, law firms, and government agencies, asking recipients to review draft legislation. Cyber analysts traced the malware to APT41, a hacking group widely believed to be linked to Chinese intelligence. Opening the attachment would have given hackers deep access to the targets’ systems.

Moolenaar, a vocal critic of Beijing and chair of a congressional committee on U.S.-China competition, said the incident was “another example of Chinese cyber operations aimed at stealing U.S. strategy,” adding: “We will not be intimidated.”

The attack coincided with sensitive trade talks in Sweden, which temporarily extended a tariff truce between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping until their expected November meeting at an Asian economic summit.

The Chinese embassy in Washington denied knowledge of the incident, stressing opposition to all cyberattacks while warning against “smearing others without solid evidence.”

The FBI confirmed it is working with partners to track those responsible. Meanwhile, the Capitol Police are investigating after staff on Moolenaar’s committee noticed unusual inquiries about the fake message.

The episode adds to mounting evidence of Beijing-linked cyber campaigns targeting U.S. institutions to gain insight into trade and national security deliberations.

Jaguar Land Rover Scrambles to Contain Cyber Breach That Halted Production

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Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) said Friday it is working “at pace” to restore operations after a major cyber incident forced it to shut down systems, halting both retail and production activities. The breach, disclosed earlier this week, has left thousands of factory workers at home until at least Tuesday as the company attempts a controlled restart of global applications.

Owned by India’s Tata Motors, JLR stressed there is no evidence customer data has been stolen so far. The company described the attack as “severely disruptive” to its operations across its three British car plants, where it employs around 33,000 people, making it the UK’s largest automotive employer.

The disruption adds to JLR’s mounting challenges. The company already reported an 11% sales drop in July, partly due to a U.S. export pause after Trump’s car import tariffs, and has cut its 2026 profit margin target from 10% to 5%-7%. Like other European automakers, it also faces weak demand in China and slower sales in Europe.

The attack mirrors a global trend of escalating ransomware campaigns hitting household names. Earlier this year, Marks & Spencer estimated its own cyber breach cost about £300 million ($405 million) in lost profit. Analysts warn that JLR’s recovery could also come with significant financial fallout if disruptions stretch beyond next week.

Accenture to Acquire Australian Cybersecurity Firm CyberCX in $650 Million Deal

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Accenture (ACN.N) announced on Thursday that it will acquire Australian cybersecurity company CyberCX in what represents its largest-ever deal in the sector. The Australian Financial Review reported the transaction is valued at over A$1 billion ($650 million).

The deal highlights the growing demand for advanced cybersecurity services as businesses face increasingly sophisticated digital threats. Australia has seen a series of high-profile cyberattacks, including the 2022 Optus breach that exposed data of up to 10 million users, and a Medibank hack affecting nearly 10 million customers. In July, Qantas Airways also reported a breach of one of its call centres, impacting six million customers.

Melbourne-based CyberCX was created in 2019 through the merger of 12 smaller cybersecurity firms backed by private equity firm BGH Capital, which is selling the company. CyberCX employs around 1,400 staff and operates security operations centres across Australia and New Zealand, with additional offices in London and New York.

The company is led by John Paitaridis, formerly managing director of Optus Business, and Chief Strategy Officer Alastair MacGibbon, who previously served as Australia’s national cybersecurity coordinator. Their experience is notable given Optus’ 2022 data breach that compromised names, dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers, emails, and passport and driver’s license information.

Accenture has been actively expanding its security services, completing 20 acquisitions in the sector since 2015, including Brazilian firm Morphus, MNEMO Mexico, and Spain-based Innotec Security. Domestically, Accenture signed a $700 million collaborative agreement with Telstra in February to implement AI capabilities across the telecommunications company.