The New York Times reported on Saturday, citing unspecified military, intelligence and national security officials, that the Biden administration had malware believed to have originated from Chinese attackers in critical infrastructure systems supporting U.S. military bases around the world. reportedly searching for
U.S. officials and industry experts say the malware discovered by Microsoft on U.S. networks affecting Guam and other strategic sites was part of a large-scale Chinese operation to plant malicious code that dates back at least a year. The New York Times reported that it believes it could be just one example. report. A congressional official described the malware as a “time bomb” that the Chinese government could set off in the event of a conflict with the United States or an invasion of Taiwan, disrupting U.S. military operations and paralyzing their response. said there is.
China’s efforts to infect critical networks are far more widespread than experts initially realized, the NYT reported. Most experts spoke on condition of anonymity about confidential matters, some of which are classified. (Related: China Hacks Emails of State Department Officials Ahead of John Kerry’s Climate Change Conference in Beijing: Report)
The NYT said the affected network controls the power grid, water supply and communications systems that support U.S. military operations, but is also connected to civilian systems.
microsoft to cause The attack in Guam was against a Chinese state-sponsored hacker group called Bolt Typhoon, which deploys malware that can remain hidden in systems for years.
Inside the administration, officials are trying to determine whether China’s aim is to target U.S. military operations in a crisis or to disrupt wider civilian life, but so far, according to the NYT. data shows that more networks are compromised in areas where military outposts are concentrated. .
Cyberattack and Typhoon Mawar Drive Guam Cyber Conference | The attack is attributed to Bolt Typhoon, a state-sponsored hacking group that conducts espionage and intelligence gathering for the Chinese government. https://t.co/XZ7F4o4M38
— 780th Military Intelligence Brigade (Cyber) (@780thC) July 24, 2023
The White House has called military, intelligence and homeland security officials to a situation room meeting to sort out the problem and develop a plan of action, according to The New York Times. Administration officials have also begun briefing lawmakers and industry leaders on the issue.
The search for malicious code has been ongoing for at least a year, experts told the NYT.
The Department of Defense has referred the Daily Caller News Foundation to the National Security Council.
“The Biden administration is working relentlessly to protect the United States from disruption to critical infrastructure, including coordinating interagency efforts to protect our water systems, pipelines, railroads, aviation systems, and more,” Adam said. Acting Press Secretary R. Hodge said. For the National Security Council, he told the NYT. China was not directly mentioned.
According to The New York Times, the campaign has embarrassed the administration because it doesn’t fit the mold of well-known spy-related hacking operations that the United States and China have carried out on each other. Senior adviser Biden said this “raises questions about what exactly they are preparing for.”
Disruption of water, power and other critical resources could delay a military response to a Pacific crisis by hours or days, giving China greater opportunities to pursue military objectives.
China disputed this explanation.
“We have always steadfastly opposed and cracked down on all forms of cyberattacks in accordance with the law,” Ouyang Haoming, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, told The New York Times.
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