- The UK and the US have claimed that several cyber attacks against government entities and critical infrastructure were orchestrated by China.
- The two countries have imposed sanctions on a company and two individuals allegedly linked to a Chinese state-owned group that has been operating for years.
- The recent wave of allegations follows growing cybersecurity tensions between China and some Western countries, particularly the US.
‘Malicious’ cyberattacks
Britain and the US have jointly accused China of repeated “malicious” cyber attacks against it. The United Kingdom and the United States have claimed that several cyber attacks against government entities and critical infrastructure were orchestrated by “state-sponsored” groups and individuals in China.
The two countries have imposed sanctions on a company and two individuals allegedly linked to a Chinese state-owned group that has been operating for years.
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Statement of UK and US
The British government said on March 25 that the Chinese groups had launched two “malicious” cyber attacks. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said it was “highly likely” that the country’s electoral commission system would be compromised by Chinese state-owned entities between 2021 and 2022. The NCSC also claimed that a Chinese state-affiliated group called APT31 carried out “reconnaissance” on British politicians in 2021.
“The targeting of our democratic system and political process by Chinese state-affiliated organisations and individuals is completely unacceptable,” British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said. “While these attempts to interfere with British democracy have been unsuccessful, we will remain vigilant and resilient to the threats we face.”
The Treasury Department has also sanctioned companies and individuals allegedly associated with the APT31 group, which it claims has provided cover for multiple malicious cyber operations. The United States claims that the group has targeted a number of senior government officials and various critical infrastructure sectors, including defense, information technology and energy.
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Cybersecurity tensions
The latest wave of allegations follows growing tensions between China and some Western countries, particularly the United States, which has made various claims about state-sponsored hacking attempts. Last month, U.S. officials claimed they had disrupted an operation by a Chinese state-funded group called Volt Typhoon that targeted critical infrastructure.
And it follows news that Chinese hackers managed to gain access to data from multiple US government agencies, including the emails of the US ambassador to China. Last September, a US Senate staffer said 60,000 emails from US State Department accounts had been hacked. There has been no clear comment from China on the allegations.
