Chinese hackers are preparing to launch a major attack on critical U.S. infrastructure and have already infiltrated multiple companies according to the FBI.
FBI Director Chris Wray revealed today China is developing the capability to cause significant damage to our critical infrastructure at a time of their choosing. The only question is the time to launch a catastrophic blow.
“China is developing the ability to physically wreak havoc on our critical infrastructure at a time of its choosing,” Wray said at the 2024 Vanderbilt Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats. “Its plan is to land low blows against civilian infrastructure to try to induce panic.”
According to Wray, an ongoing Chinese hacking campaign known as Volt Typhoon has successfully infiltrated several American companies in telecommunications, energy, water, and other critical sectors. 23 pipeline operators are being targeted.
According to Reuters, Wray went on to note that China’s hackers operated a series of botnets, which are constellations of compromised personal computers and servers around the globe to hide their nefarious cyber actions. Private sector American technology and cybersecurity companies previously attributed Volt Typhoon to China, including reports by security researchers with Microsoft and Google.
Reuters reports that a Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson claimed the Volt Typhoon was unrelated to China’s government but is a criminal ransomware group.
China’s Embassy in Washington released the following statement in response to the MFA spokesperson’s comment.
Some in the US have been using origin-tracing of cyberattacks as a tool to hit and frame China, claiming the US to be the victim while it’s the other way around, and politicizing cybersecurity issues.
Some would argue that the operation may already be underway. Early this morning, there was a widespread outage involving 911 emergency numbers in four states: Nebraska, South Dakota, Nevada, and Texas.
Moreover, investigative journalist Lara Logan revealed that reliable intelligence sources have told her the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore, Maryland last month was an “absolutely brilliant strategic attack” on US critical infrastructure.
Multiple intel sources: The Baltimore bridge collapse was an “absolutely brilliant strategic attack” on US critical infrastructure – most likely cyber – & our intel agencies know it. In information warfare terms, they just divided the US along the Mason-Dixon line, exactly like the Civil War.
The second busiest strategic roadway in the nation for hazardous material is now down for 4-5 years – which is how long they say it will take to recover. Bridge was built specifically to move hazardous material – fuel, diesel, propane gas, nitrogen, highly flammable materials, chemicals, and oversized cargo that cannot fit in the tunnels – that supply chain now crippled.
Make no mistake: this was an extraordinary attack in terms of planning, timing & execution.
While the FBI may have identified a major national crisis afoot, they may also be a day late and a dollar short. Moreover, one should have little confidence the agency will be able to thwart such a significant attack from a hostile foreign adversary.
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