Hackers Claim Massive 10PB Data Breach at Tianjin Supercomputer Center

Hackers are claiming to have breached one of China’s most powerful computing facilities, stealing what could be one of the largest datasets ever exfiltrated from a national research system.

The alleged target is the National Supercomputing Center (NSCC) in Tianjin, a major hub that supports thousands of organizations, including defense and advanced research institutions.

According to cybersecurity researchers who reviewed samples of the leaked data, the attacker, using the alias “FlamingChina” has advertised more than 10 petabytes of stolen information for sale on underground channels.

To put that scale into context, one petabyte equals 1,000 terabytes, meaning the total dataset could far exceed the storage capacity of millions of typical laptops.

The leaked samples reportedly include documents marked “secret,” as well as technical simulations, aerospace research, and possible missile-related schematics.

While the full scope remains unverified, experts say the data appears consistent with the type of workloads handled by national supercomputing centers.

Alleged Access and Data Exfiltration

Initial analysis suggests the attacker may have gained access through a compromised VPN endpoint, a common weak point in large enterprise networks.

Once inside, the hacker allegedly deployed a distributed botnet to quietly extract data over several months.

Instead of transferring massive volumes at once, which would likely trigger alerts, the attacker is believed to have split the workload across multiple systems.

This method allowed smaller chunks of data to be exfiltrated simultaneously, reducing the chance of detection.

Cybersecurity analysts note that while the scale of the breach is extraordinary, the techniques described are not advanced.

Rather, the success appears to stem from architectural weaknesses and insufficient monitoring of internal network activity.

The dataset is reportedly being sold in tiers, with small samples offered for thousands of dollars and full access priced significantly higher, with payments requested in cryptocurrency.

If confirmed, the breach could have serious national security implications. The Tianjin facility serves more than 6,000 clients, including organizations linked to aerospace, defense, and scientific research.

This broad user base increases the potential intelligence value of the stolen data.

Experts warn that only well-resourced actors, such as nation-state intelligence agencies, would realistically have the capability to process and analyze a dataset of this size.

Even partial access could provide valuable insights into China’s technological capabilities and research priorities.

The incident also highlights ongoing cybersecurity challenges within large-scale infrastructure environments.

Previous leaks, including a massive exposure of personal data affecting hundreds of millions of Chinese citizens, have pointed to systemic gaps in data protection practices.

While Chinese authorities have emphasized improving cybersecurity in recent policy statements, this alleged breach underscores the difficulty of securing complex, high-performance computing ecosystems that serve diverse and sensitive workloads.

At the time of writing, officials have not publicly confirmed the breach, and the full authenticity of the dataset remains under investigation.

Follow us on Google News , LinkedIn and X to Get More Instant Updates. Set Cyberpress as a Preferred Source in Google

The post Hackers Claim Massive 10PB Data Breach at Tianjin Supercomputer Center appeared first on Cyber Security News.