Supercomputer in China Allegedly Hacked by A Group Called 'Flaming China'

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - On April 9, 2026, a Supercomputer at the National Supercomputing Center (NSCC) in Tianjin, China, reportedly experienced a hacking incident.

This incident, first reported by CNN, would be one of the largest data thefts ever recorded in the country if it's officially confirmed.

A hacking group calling itself "Flaming China" claimed responsibility for the attack, releasing samples of the allegedly stolen data in February 2026.

They claimed to have successfully infiltrated the Tianjin NSCC system, which provides vital infrastructure to more than 6,000 clients across China, including scientific and defense institutions.

BREAKING:Hackers have stolen 10 petabytes of data from China’s largest state-run supercomputing facility in TianjinThe hackers were inside the system for months & stole:- Missile and bomb schematics- Aerospace and aviation research- Bioinformatics & fusion simulation data pic.twitter.com/TJY4J2QzNx

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) April 9, 2026

In this shocking incident, more than 10 petabytes (PB) of sensitive data were allegedly compromised from a Chinese supercomputer, as reported by CNN.

For comparison, this amount of data is equivalent to thousands of terabytes, far exceeding the storage capacity of a top-of-the-line laptop.

The stolen data is diverse and crucial, including classified defense documents, advanced missile schematics, aerospace engineering, and military research findings.

Furthermore, bioinformatics information and fusion simulations were also targeted.

Some of the files released by the hackers reportedly contained documents labeled "secret" in Chinese, along with technical files, animated simulations, and renderings of defense equipment such as bombs and missiles.

The hackers claim that the data is closely linked to prominent Chinese organizations, such as the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, and the National University of Defense Technology.

The 'Flaming China' group revealed that they gained initial access through a previously compromised VPN domain.

This method allowed them to infiltrate the Tianjin NSCC system without immediate detection.

After gaining access, the hackers used a botnet to slowly exfiltrate data over a period of approximately six months.

This strategy was designed to evade detection by security systems, allowing them to collect vast volumes of data from China's supercomputers without arousing suspicion.

While the leaked data samples have been reviewed by cybersecurity experts and deemed consistent with data stored at the supercomputer center, the credibility of these claims still requires independent verification.

Media outlets such as CNN have not been able to independently confirm the authenticity of the data or the hackers' claims.

To date, there has been no official response from the Chinese government.

Requests for comment to China's Ministry of Science and Technology and the Cyberspace Administration of China have not yet been responded to.

The Chinese government has also not officially confirmed the security breach.

If the alleged hacking is proven true, the incident will highlight ongoing weaknesses in China's cybersecurity and potentially pose serious intelligence risks.