Chinese Cyberattacks Hit Critical U.S. Services

Chinese military hackers have intensified efforts to infiltrate critical American infrastructure, targeting power and water utilities, communication, and transportation systems. This campaign, part of a broader strategy to create chaos in the event of a U.S.-China conflict, particularly over Taiwan, has seen about two dozen entities compromised over the past year. Key targets include a Hawaiian water utility, a major West Coast port, and an oil and gas pipeline. Attempts were also made to breach Texas’s independent power grid.These intrusions, while not disrupting industrial control systems or causing immediate harm, indicate China’s intent to complicate U.S. military efforts in the Pacific. This escalation is part of the Volt Typhoon cyber campaign, reflecting the increasingly antagonistic U.S.-China relationship. The campaign’s focus on Hawaii, home to the Pacific Fleet, and critical ports and logistics centers, underscores the strategic nature of these attacks.

U.S. officials note a significant shift in Chinese cyber activities from espionage to potential disruption or destruction of critical infrastructure. This change aligns with Chinese military documents discussing the use of cyber tools in conflict, particularly in scenarios like an amphibious invasion of Taiwan.

The Chinese hackers often masked their activities, using innocuous devices like home routers for their attacks and stealing employee credentials for future access. These tactics suggest a long-term strategy of reconnaissance and potential future attacks, diverging from previous Chinese cyber operations focused more on intelligence gathering.

The U.S. government, recognizing the severity of these threats, has been working to strengthen cybersecurity in critical sectors and improve coordination with the private sector. This includes issuing mandatory cybersecurity rules and encouraging better monitoring and more secure authentication methods.

Source: Washingtonpost

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