Recently, China has claimed that the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) executed cyberattacks against its national time center. They expressed concerns that any harm to these facilities could severely impact network communications, financial systems, and the power supply.
The Chinese Ministry of State Security specifically pointed out that the U.S. agency took advantage of security weaknesses in the messaging services of an unnamed foreign mobile brand to pilfer sensitive data from the devices used by employees of the National Time Service Center in 2022.
According to the Ministry’s WeChat post, the NSA is believed to have employed 42 different types of “special cyber attack tools” to breach the time center’s internal network systems, with attempts noted to access a critical timing system between 2023 and 2024.
While the ministry asserted it possesses evidence backing these claims, details were not shared in their communication.
The National Time Center has significant responsibilities, including generating and spreading China’s standard national time, alongside providing timing services to various sectors such as communications, finance, transport, and defense. The Ministry mentioned it has provided the center with strategies to combat potential risks.
In a pointed statement, the ministry remarked, “The U.S. often accuses others of behaviors they themselves engage in, constantly amplifying narratives of Chinese cyber threats.”
Concerns regarding cyberattacks attributed to China have grown among Western governments recently, with allegations pointing to hackers affiliated with the Chinese government targeting officials, journalists, businesses, and more. This announcement may further escalate tensions between Washington and Beijing amidst existing concerns centering on trade, technology, and Taiwan.
The U.S. Embassy opted not to address the Chinese accusations specifically in their email reply, instead, they reiterated their stance on China’s cyber activities as an ongoing and formidable threat to the U.S. government and private sector.
