BEIJING: China has accused the United States of conducting cyberattacks against Beijing’s National Time Service Center that could have severely damaged critical financial and telecommunications infrastructure.
The Ministry of State Security stated it found “irrefutable evidence” of hacking attempts by the US National Security Agency between 2022 and 2024.
Authorities said the NSA exploited weaknesses in an unspecified foreign mobile phone brand’s messaging service to steal login credentials from time centre employees.
The facility coordinates clocks nationwide used by computer servers, train stations and power grids.
These attacks could have jeopardised power grids, transport systems and even space launches, according to the ministry.
Chinese authorities have since “severed attack chains, upgraded protective measures, and eliminated potential threats.”
“In recent years, the United States has aggressively pursued cyber hegemony, repeatedly trampling on international cyberspace rules,“ the ministry stated.
“Ironclad evidence proves that the United States is the true ‘hacker empire’ and the greatest source of chaos in cyberspace,“ the ministry added.
The accusation comes amid heightened espionage warnings from Beijing as relations with Western nations deteriorate.
Western countries have previously accused China-supported hacker groups of conducting global cyber espionage against critics, democratic institutions and sensitive sector companies.
Washington last year claimed a China state-sponsored actor was behind a cyber breach at the US Treasury Department, which Beijing called “groundless” at the time.
The ministry urged Chinese citizens to remain vigilant against foreign attacks and report suspicious activity to authorities. – AFP
