Chinese hackers target American infrastructure, warns US official
China aims to disrupt crucial US networks, putting pipelines, railways and more at risk: this is the alarm raised by US cybersecurity
Chinese hackers pose a real threat to the United States and its critical infrastructure, warns a senior cybersecurity official. In a speech at the Aspen Institute in Washington, Jen Easterly, director of the Cyber Security and Infrastructure Agency, stressed the importance of preparing for cyber sabotage by China.
This could involve crucial sectors such as pipelines and railways in the event of a conflict. Easterly warned that Chinese hackers could get past American defenses and cause real-world damage. China is investing significant resources in the ability to sabotage US infrastructure, and this represents a real threat that requires a prompt response. Easterly stressed the importance of focusing on this threat and building adequate resistance. He also highlighted the challenge the United States faces in preventing such disruptions given China’s powerful capabilities.
Volt Typhoon is the name of the Chinese hacker group mentioned, with lots of accusations, by the United States and cybersecurity companies regarding their predisposition to carry out destructive cyber attacks in the event of a conflict. These warnings align with the US intelligence community’s annual assessment, which highlighted China’s willingness to conduct aggressive cyber operations against critical infrastructure and US military targets in the event of significant tensions.
