FBI director warns Chinese hackers are preparing to ‘wreak havoc’ on US critical infrastructure

CNN
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FBI Director Christopher Wray warned Wednesday that Chinese hackers are preparing to “wreak havoc and cause real-world damage” in the United States.

“Chinese hackers are infiltrating American infrastructure in preparation for wreaking havoc and causing real-world damage.” If or when China We decided it was time to strike,” Lei told the House of Representatives Select Committee on the Communist Party of China.

Cyber ​​officials have long been sounding the alarm about China’s offensive cyber capabilities, but Wray’s dramatic public warning comes as a top official in the U.S. government over the threat Chinese hackers pose to critical infrastructure across the country. highlighted major concerns. The head of the National Security Agency and other senior U.S. officials also testified about Chinese cyber activity before the panel Wednesday.

Ray said Chinese hackers are targeting water treatment facilities, power infrastructure, oil and natural gas pipelines, and more. “Water treatment facilities, power grids, oil and gas pipelines, and transportation systems.

Chinese hackers are “discovering and sabotaging or preparing to destroy critical civilian infrastructure that keeps us safe and prosperous,” Ray said. “And let me be clear: Cyber ​​threats to our critical infrastructure are real-world threats to our physical security.”

The Chinese government has so far denied allegations of hacking.

The hearings came as U.S. and Chinese officials urged a de-escalation of relations between the two superpowers. During a meeting in November, Chinese President Xi Jinping assured U.S. President Joe Biden that China would not interfere in the 2024 U.S. election, CNN exclusively reported on Tuesday. Over the weekend, China’s foreign minister reiterated this belief to Biden’s national security adviser, sources told CNN. U.S. officials will closely monitor whether Mr. Xi keeps his promise.

Asked about that belief, Lei said: “China has promised a lot over the years, so when you see it, you’ll believe it.”

“The truth is that Chinese cyber attackers took advantage of a very basic flaw in our technology. We have made it easy for them,” said Jenn, who heads the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Easterly told lawmakers.

“Unfortunately, the technology that underpins our critical infrastructure is inherently insecure because software developers have not been held accountable for defective technology for decades. “This creates an incentive for speed, making our country vulnerable to cyber intrusion. That has to stop,” Easterly said.

The FBI and Justice Department have previously emphasized their focus on thwarting malicious campaigns by the Chinese government and hackers.

In recent months, federal law enforcement agencies have used court orders to force the Department of Justice to investigate hundreds of U.S. sites at the center of a Chinese hacking campaign targeting sensitive U.S. information, CNN reports. The company has given permission to remove malicious code from or otherwise protect devices. infrastructure. Nevertheless, hackers are believed to have penetrated deep into US infrastructure.

The move by the Justice Department and FBI is part of a broader government-wide attempt to soften the impact of China’s persistent hacking efforts, which could hamper the U.S. military’s response if China invades Taiwan. CNN reported that US authorities are concerned. report. Hackers are believed to have used their access to some devices to further penetrate sensitive critical infrastructure such as ports and transport networks.

Wray said Wednesday that China’s efforts extend beyond technology, as his remarks showed: “They are targeting our freedoms, they are targeting our freedoms, they are targeting our countries. They are silencing, coercing, and threatening our nation’s citizens and residents, both within our precincts and across America.”

CNN’s Evan Perez contributed to this report.