Chinese Hackers Infiltrated Critical US Systems: Report (Image: Pixabay)
Hackers tied to China’s People’s Liberation Army are reportedly targeting major infrastructural assets in the United States, including power and water utilities. The Washington Post reported that hackers have infiltrated the computer systems of approximately two dozen critical units in the past year. This includes a Hawaiian water utility, a West Coast port, and oil and gas pipelines. Chinese hackers also reportedly attempted to break into Texas” power grid.
The report, citing US government and industry officials, stated that these intrusions are part of a broader effort for China to create chaos, cause panic, and disrupt US logistics. The Washington Post said in its report that the latest information gives a complete understanding of the “Volt Typhoon” cyber campaign, which was first detected by the US government a year ago. In May, Microsoft mentioned in its blog that Volt Typhoon is a state-sponsored actor based in China that focuses on espionage and information gathering, and it has been active since mid-2021. Microsoft also mentioned that this Volt Typhoon campaign may disrupt critical communications infrastructure between the United States and Asia during future crises.
According to US officials, the intrusions did not affect crucial industrial control systems or cause any disruption. However, The Washington Post stated that officials are concerned about the attack on Hawaii. Notably, the Hawaii region is important for the US as it is home to the Pacific Fleet of the US Navy. The attack on the Hawaiian water utility indicates that the Chinese military wants the ability to complicate US efforts to ship troops if a conflict breaks out over Taiwan, according to the report.
The report also mentioned that the hackers tried to mask their tracks by using devices such as home or office routers before reaching their victims. According to Joe McReynolds, a China security studies fellow at the Jamestown Foundation, the hackers are exploring ways to get in and stay in without being detected.
