CYBER WARFARE IN THE CROSSHAIRS
China’s latest military reforms come amid simmering tensions with the US on issues ranging from the economy to security. Cyber warfare has increasingly emerged as a frontier, with Washington – along with the UK – recently accusing Beijing of carrying out a sweeping cyberespionage campaign.
Last week, FBI Director Christopher Wray said Chinese government-linked hackers have burrowed into US critical infrastructure and are waiting “for just the right moment to deal a devastating blow”, Reuters reported.
According to Mr Wray, an ongoing Chinese hacking campaign known as Volt Typhoon has successfully gained access to numerous American companies in telecommunications, energy, water and other critical sectors, with 23 pipeline operators targeted.
China has repeatedly rubbished Washington’s assertions, while also accusing America itself of carrying out cyberattacks.
A report by the state-run Global Times last Friday said that the “groundless smear” of China conducting cyberattacks is not new. It cited a joint cybersecurity advisory issued in May 2023 by the Five Eyes – an intelligence alliance made up of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the US.
The advisory claimed to have discovered a cluster of activity of interest associated with Volt Typhoon, describing it as a “China state-sponsored cyber actor”.
The Global Times referenced a report released on Apr 15 by China’s National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center, saying it shows that Volt Typhoon is a ransomware cybercriminal group that is not sponsored by any state or region.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian made mention of the report during a daily press briefing on Apr 15.
“Some in the US have been using origin-tracing of cyberattacks as a tool to hit and frame China, claiming the US to be the victim while it’s the other way round, and politicising cybersecurity issues,” he said.
Describing the US as “the world’s largest source of cyberattacks and the biggest threat to cybersecurity”, Mr Lin urged Washington to stop its cyberattacks against China and to stop “smearing” it.
