Chinese cyber spies likely hacked Volkswagen for years

The global IT system of Volkswagen, Europe’s largest car manufacturer, has been hacked for several years. Internal documents shared by Paper Trail Media, Der Spiegel, and ZDF with media partners of #Hidden Front, an investigative project on Chinese intelligence activities in Europe, reveal that hackers were able to steal 19,000 files from the Volkswagen Group, including information about new technological developments.

According to twelve sources familiar with the hacking dossier, the hacks have been attributed to Chinese hackers and date back to 2015. Despite the long-standing breach, the hacking was never made public until now. The cleanup operation to address the hack is said to be one of the largest in history, costing the company more than 100 million euros.

The hacking incident was discovered on June 3, 2014, when the Volkswagen system was infiltrated through a local branch in Puebla, Mexico. Volkswagen established a task force and monitored the hackers before taking action. In April 2015, a major cleanup operation, known as Operation Remediation 65, was launched to shut down almost the entire global IT system of the automotive group.

Forensic IT experts found that the hackers were particularly interested in files related to ‘petrol engine development’, ‘transmission development’, ‘dual clutch transmission’, and other technological advancements like e-mobility and fuel cells. The cleanup operation also involved Audi Brussels, which is part of the VW Group.

Volkswagen spokesperson Peter D’hoore emphasized the company’s commitment to cybersecurity and stated that they continuously work to keep their IT systems secure. In the midst of this hacking scandal, Volkswagen remains focused on ensuring the security of its digital ecosystems and products.