OriginalSourceVenturebeatLeanUnratedCredibilityUnratedPublished17:33 UTCSourceVenturebeatLeanUnratedCredibilityUnratedPublished17:33 UTC
“China-linked hackers backdoored executives' laptops via USB, exploiting a fix companies had but weren't using”
China-linked group used USB backdoor on executives' laptops at a conference.
Key points
- A state-linked group compromised executive laptops at an agricultural conference on Hainan Island.
- Attack was physical-access based, booting from USB rather than phishing or network breach.
- FlowCloud backdoor was written to each laptop's storage during hotel-room intrusions in spring 2026.
- Intrusions occurred March to May 2026; no credentials or network intrusion were used.
- CrowdStrike notes gaps between USB write and next boot, enabling undetected compromise.
How it got here
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