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FBI says Chinese hackers preparing to attack United States facilities

Chinese governmentlinked hackers have burrowed into U.S. crucial infrastructure and are waiting for simply the ideal moment to deal a devastating blow, FBI Director Christopher Wray said on Thursday.

A continuous Chinese hacking project called Volt Typhoon has actually effectively gained access to many American companies in telecoms, energy, water and other important sectors, with 23 pipeline operators targeted, Wray stated in a speech at Vanderbilt University.

China is establishing the capability to physically wreak havoc on our crucial facilities at a time of its choosing, Wray stated at the 2024 Vanderbilt Top on Modern Dispute and Emerging Threats. Its strategy is to land low blows versus civilian facilities to try to cause panic.

Wray stated it was difficult to identify the intent of this cyber pre-positioning which was aligned with China's broader intent to discourage the U.S. from defending Taiwan.

China declares democratically governed Taiwan as its own area and has never ever renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan highly objects to China's. sovereignty claims and says just the island's people can decide. their future.

Previously this week, a Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. spokesperson stated Volt Tropical cyclone was in reality unassociated to China's. government, but belongs to a criminal ransomware group.

In a statement, China's Embassy in Washington referred back. to the MFA spokesperson's remark. Some in the US have actually been. utilizing origin-tracing of cyberattacks as a tool to strike and frame. China, declaring the US to be the victim while it's the other method. round, and politicizing cybersecurity issues.

Wray stated China's hackers operated a series of botnets -. constellations of jeopardized desktop computers and servers. around the globe - to conceal their malicious cyber activities. Private sector American innovation and cybersecurity business. previously attributed Volt Tropical storm to China, including reports. by security scientists with Microsoft and Google.

(source: Reuters)