FBI Director Chris Wray briefed House legislators that China cyber threat to US is expanding their attacks on US vital infrastructure, a disturbing discovery.
China Cyber Threat to US Disrupted but Still a Warning (Photo: Google)
China Cyber Threat to US Disrupted but There’s a Warning
The electrical grid, water treatment plants, and transportation infrastructure are targeted by China cyber threat to US. Authorities revealed the thwarting of a state-backed Chinese campaign to deploy malware that may damage civilian infrastructure.
Just before Wray’s hearing, a botnet comprising hundreds of U.S. small office and home routers operated by individual persons and corporations was dismantled. Chinese hackers hacked these routers to hide their virus deployment. The last targets were U.S. infrastructure including water treatment plants and the electricity grid.
Wray told the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party that the cyber issue that threatens all Americans is receiving insufficient public attention. He warned that China’s hackers are planning to disrupt Americans’ daily lives if the US-China confrontation escalates.
Jen Easterly, DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency director, voiced these concerns at the session. She warned that a global crisis might impair pipelines, telecommunications, water systems, and transportation, endangering Americans.
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Unveiling the Ongoing China Cyber Threat to US
Microsoft and other cybersecurity firms have warned that state-backed China cyber threat to US are targeting crucial infrastructure. These hackers may be preparing to disrupt U.S.-Asia communications amid the crisis.
A Volt Typhoon botnet was disrupted in the latest Chinese hack investigation. The FBI and Justice Department acquired search-and-seizure orders in December to handle the danger. The impact of the interruption is unknown, but it is viewed as a key step in preventing U.S. infrastructure strikes.
The disclosure highlights the rising threat of state-backed cyber attackers, notably from China and Russia, and the urgent need for strong cybersecurity to protect key infrastructure. U.S. cybersecurity efforts are challenged by these hackers’ increasing strategies and adaptability to new infiltration methods.
The disclosure of disrupted operations and the ongoing dialogue about the risks remind the US of the need for continued vigilance and technological advancements to protect its critical infrastructure from cyberattacks. Increasing cyber hostilities between major world powers complicate international relations in the digital era.
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