- FBI Director Christopher Wray said Chinese cyberattacks are becoming a serious problem.
- “The situation is almost reaching its climax,” he told leaders at the Munich Security Conference.
- Wray told Congress in January that Chinese hackers outnumber FBI cyber agents by at least 50 to one.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said the cyberattacks orchestrated by Chinese hackers against the United States are reaching a “climax.”
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Thursday, Wray pointed to the massive cyber threat posed by China.
“In fact, Chinese-backed hackers were preparing for potential cyberattacks against U.S. oil and gas companies as far back as 2011,” Wray said in his remarks. “But lately, it’s almost reached a crescendo.”
In his speech, Lei said the Chinese side is using the stolen AI technology “to improve its hacking operations, including stealing more AI technology and data.”
Wray told Congress last month that the United States needs to invest in cyber capabilities to better manage Chinese cyber threats. Ray said China’s hacking program was larger than all other major countries combined.
“Even if each of the FBI’s cyber agents and intelligence analysts focused solely on the Chinese threat, the number of Chinese hackers would still outnumber the FBI’s cyber staff by at least 50 times,” Wray told lawmakers. It will be more than 1,” he said.
The United States is not alone in warning about China’s hacking capabilities. MI6 director Richard Moore said in July that China was the agency’s biggest concern.
“We’re putting more resources into China than any other mission right now,” Moore told Politico’s Anne McElvoy. “This reflects China’s importance in the world and the critical importance of understanding both the Chinese government’s intentions and capabilities.”