Chinese national Xu Zewei extradited from Italy to U.S. over Silk Typhoon cyberattacks targeting COVID-19 research.
A suspected member of the Chinese state-linked hacking group known as Silk Typhoon has been extradited to the United States, marking a significant development in a long-running cyber espionage case.
Chinese national Xu Zewei was transferred from Italy to U.S. custody in late April 2026 following legal approval by Italian authorities. He is accused of carrying out cyberattacks targeting American institutions involved in COVID-19 research between 2020 and 2021.
According to U.S. prosecutors, Xu allegedly worked as part of a broader hacking operation tied to China’s Ministry of State Security. Investigators claim he and his associates infiltrated university networks and accessed sensitive data from virologists and immunologists studying vaccines, treatments, and testing methods.
Authorities further allege that Xu was involved in exploiting vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange servers during the large-scale “Hafnium” intrusion campaign. The operation affected thousands of systems worldwide and enabled attackers to maintain persistent access to compromised networks.
The extradition follows Xu’s arrest in Milan in 2025 and comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and China over cyber espionage activities. U.S. officials have described the alleged attacks as a direct threat to national security and scientific research efforts.
If convicted, Xu faces multiple charges, including conspiracy, wire fraud, identity theft, and unauthorized access to protected computer systems. The case is expected to proceed in a U.S. federal court in the coming weeks.
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