US, UK, NZ accuse China of cyber attacks on ‘democratic institutions’
The US, UK, and New Zealand have accused China-supported cyber groups of attacking democratic institutions and lawmakers, a claim China strongly denies.
These public accusations detail cyber breaches spanning over a decade aimed at holding Beijing responsible. The US has charged seven Chinese individuals as part of a 14-year hacking operation to support China's espionage and foreign intelligence.
These attacks, attributed to group APT31, involved targeting businesses, politicians, and journalists worldwide, compromising email and cloud storage accounts.
In the UK, the same group, APT31, targeted lawmakers' accounts between 2021-2022, raising concerns ahead of the upcoming general election.
The UK's Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden announced an attack on the country's Electoral Commission by a Chinese entity but assured it would not affect democratic processes. The UK has sanctioned individuals and a company linked to APT31 in response.
Simultaneously, New Zealand reported a cyber attack by the Chinese state-backed group APT40 on its law drafting office, marking a significant accusation from a country traditionally seen as a strong China ally. New Zealand has since communicated its concerns to the Chinese ambassador.
China, however, has dismissed these accusations as political manipulation and slander, claiming it neither supports nor condones cyberattacks.
Western nations, including the accused, have been more open about exposing cyber operations, pointing fingers at countries like China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran for malicious activities.
Despite these claims, China insists it is a major victim of cyberattacks itself. This situation highlights the ongoing cyber tensions between China and several Western nations, stressing the complex dynamics of international cybersecurity and diplomacy.
These attacks, attributed to group APT31, involved targeting businesses, politicians, and journalists worldwide, compromising email and cloud storage accounts.
In the UK, the same group, APT31, targeted lawmakers' accounts between 2021-2022, raising concerns ahead of the upcoming general election.
The UK's Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden announced an attack on the country's Electoral Commission by a Chinese entity but assured it would not affect democratic processes. The UK has sanctioned individuals and a company linked to APT31 in response.
Simultaneously, New Zealand reported a cyber attack by the Chinese state-backed group APT40 on its law drafting office, marking a significant accusation from a country traditionally seen as a strong China ally. New Zealand has since communicated its concerns to the Chinese ambassador.
China, however, has dismissed these accusations as political manipulation and slander, claiming it neither supports nor condones cyberattacks.
Western nations, including the accused, have been more open about exposing cyber operations, pointing fingers at countries like China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran for malicious activities.
Despite these claims, China insists it is a major victim of cyberattacks itself. This situation highlights the ongoing cyber tensions between China and several Western nations, stressing the complex dynamics of international cybersecurity and diplomacy.
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Translated by AI
