A heated debate ensues as China rejects claims that its state-sponsored hacking group, Volt Typhoon, has infiltrated US critical infrastructure. The Chinese government accuses the US of orchestrating the allegations for political gain.
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| The ongoing dispute between China and the US over the Volt Typhoon hacking group highlights the escalating tensions between the two superpowers in the realm of cybersecurity. Image Courtesy: Freepik |
Beijing, China - October 15, 2024:
China has vehemently denied recent allegations by the US government and Microsoft that a state-sponsored hacking group, known as Volt Typhoon, has infiltrated critical US infrastructure. In a new report, China's National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center dismissed the claims as a "political farce" orchestrated by US officials.
The Chinese agency cited the support of over 50 cybersecurity experts who agreed that there is insufficient evidence linking Volt Typhoon to the Chinese government. Instead, China accused the US of employing "cyber warfare forces" to penetrate networks and conduct intelligence gathering. They even alleged that the US uses a tool called "Marble" to insert code strings in Chinese and Russian languages, framing China and Russia for its own activities.
The controversy surrounding Volt Typhoon began in May 2023 when Microsoft and the National Security Agency (NSA) first reported its activities. They claimed that the group had installed surveillance malware in critical systems on Guam and other parts of the US, gaining access to these systems for at least five years. In February 2024, a joint advisory from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), NSA, and FBI warned critical infrastructure organizations of potential disruptive or destructive cyberattacks by Chinese state-sponsored actors.
US agencies attributed Volt Typhoon's infiltration to the US Department of Energy, US Environmental Protection Agency, and government agencies in Australia, the UK, Canada, and New Zealand. Unlike traditional cyberattackers and espionage groups, Volt Typhoon has not used the malware it installed to attack any of its targets. Instead, the group is believed to be "pre-positioning" itself for potential disruptions to critical infrastructure in the event of geopolitical tensions or military conflicts with the United States.
As the debate between China and the US continues to escalate, the international community is closely watching the developments. The allegations and denials raise serious questions about the nature of cyber warfare and the potential for significant disruptions to critical infrastructure.