US Officials: Chinese Hackers Preparing for Conflict

(Patria) - Chinese hackers are positioning themselves in IT networks of American critical infrastructure for a potential conflict with the United States, a senior US cybersecurity official said on Friday, Reuters reported.
Morgan Adamski, executive director of US Cyber Command, said that China-linked cyber operations aim to gain an advantage in the event of a major conflict with the US.

Officials have warned that hackers linked to China have compromised IT networks and taken steps to carry out disruptive attacks in the event of a conflict. Their activities include gaining access to key networks to enable potential disruptions such as manipulating heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems in server rooms or disrupting critical power and water control, US officials said earlier this year.

Adamski spoke to researchers at the Cyberwarcon security conference in Arlington, Virginia. On Thursday, US Senator Mark Warner told The Washington Post that the hacking of American telecommunications firms linked to China is the biggest hack in American history.

That cyber espionage operation, dubbed "Salt Typhoon," involved stolen data from call records, compromised communications of top officials from both major US presidential campaigns before the November 5 election, and telecommunications information related to US law enforcement requests, the FBI recently said.

The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency are providing technical assistance and information to potential targets, the bureau said.

Adamski said on Friday that the US government has "conducted globally synchronized activities, both offensively and defensively focused, that are laser-focused on degrading and disrupting the PRC's cyber operations around the world."

Public examples include exposing operations, sanctions, indictments, law enforcement actions, and cybersecurity advisories, with contributions from multiple countries, Adamski said.

Beijing routinely denies cyber operations targeting US entities.