Chinese Hackers Pose Threat of Sabotage, Warns Top Cybersecurity Official

In a stark warning, a high-ranking U.S. cyber official has indicated that Chinese hackers could potentially disrupt critical infrastructure in the United States, including pipelines and railways, in the event of a conflict between the two nations, according to a report from Reuters.

Jen Easterly, the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), has highlighted the Chinese government’s significant investment in efforts to undermine U.S. infrastructure.

During an event hosted by the Aspen Institute, Easterly stated, “Given the formidable nature of the threat from Chinese state actors, given the size of their capability, given how much resources and effort they’re putting into it, it’s going to be very, very difficult for us to prevent disruptions from happening.”

Easterly’s remarks come at a time of escalating tensions between the U.S. and China, particularly in cyberspace. 

Last month, U.S. intelligence agencies issued a joint advisory based on a Microsoft report, which identified a Chinese state-sponsored cyber group called Volt Typhoon. The group has been infiltrating the credentials and network systems of critical infrastructure organizations across certain parts of the U.S., including Guam, a strategically important military base for the U.S.

Volt Typhoon has been active since mid-2021 and has been targeting organizations in various sectors, such as communications, manufacturing, utilities, transportation, construction, maritime, government, information technology, and education.

Microsoft disclosed that the hacking group, primarily focused on espionage and gathering information, is also “developing capabilities that could disrupt critical communications infrastructure between the United States and the Asia region in future crises.”

The tech giant further noted that Volt Typhoon’s objective is to covertly spy on organizations and gain access to their networks “without being detected for as long as possible.”

Lawmakers have also expressed their concerns regarding Volt Typhoon’s malicious cyber activities. In a statement, they said, “We are extremely concerned by the news of Chinese state-sponsored malicious activity against U.S. critical infrastructure networks, and the activity in Guam is especially concerning considering the heightened risk to the U.S. military.”