Chinese hackers managed to hide in U.S. infrastructure for up to five years, federal agencies warned on Wednesday, potentially allowing them the opportunity to launch a cyberattack against the United States.
According to a public cybersecurity warning released this week, which was compiled by multiple federal intelligence agencies in conjunction with British, Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand agencies, "PRC state-sponsored" hackers focused on major infrastructure "primarily in Communications, Energy, Transportation Systems, and Waste and Wastewater Systems Sectors — in the continental and non-continental United States and its territories."
The report notes that the hackers used tactics that make it difficult for the infrastructure companies to notice their intrusions. It also adds that their "choice of targets and pattern of behavior is not consistent with traditional cyber espionage or intelligence gathering operations."
In addition, "The U.S. authoring agencies are concerned about the potential for these actors to use their network access for disruptive effects in the event of potential geopolitical tensions and/or military conflicts."
The report comes about one week after FBI Director Christopher Wray warned that "China's hackers are positioning on American infrastructure in preparation to wreak havoc and cause real-world harm to American citizens and communities, if or when China decides the time has come to strike."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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