- Chinese report accuses the CIA of using cyber attacks against China and other countries.
- The report reveals a “hacker empire” under US control.
- The use of cyber weapons by the United States has continued since 2011.
According to TheRegister, a new Chinese report released by the China National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center and local cybersecurity firm 360 Total Security, called “The Matrix,” accuses the CIA of using cyberattacks against China and others. countries.
The report, titled Empire of Hacking: The US Central Intelligence Agency – Part I, states that researchers examining a series of cyberattacks inside China captured and extracted a large number of Trojan horses, functional plugins, and allegedly associated attack platform samples. closely with the CIA.
“Empire of Hacking”: US under Cyber Gun Control
According to the report, these cyberattacks are part of a “hacker empire” under US control, and that “these cyberweapons have undergone strict, standardized, and professional software engineering management, which is closely followed by the CIA.” unique way in the development of cyber attack weapons”.
The targets of these attacks include critical information infrastructure, aerospace, research institutions, the oil and petrochemical industries, large Internet companies, and government agencies in various countries. These attacks date back to 2011 and have continued until now.
Old information obtained from 2017 leaks
However, many of the report’s findings stem from old information gleaned from a series of 2017 leaks about the CIA by Wikileaks, codenamed Vault7.
It included details of the agency’s global covert hacking program, the malware it used, and dozens of weaponized zero-day exploits against a wide range of products from US and European companies, including Apple and Android phones, Windows phones, and smart TVs, that were exploited. so their microphones could be used as listening devices.
The CIA’s history of trying to undermine socialist regimes
The report also mentions the CIA’s history of attempting to undermine socialist regimes, as well as the US development of the TOR protocol, which China has spoken out against on many occasions due to its use by those who do not agree. agreement with the country’s ruling Communist Party.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning has called on the United States to take seriously and respond to the concerns of the international community, and to stop using cyber weapons to carry out espionage and cyber attacks around the world.
History of piracy between China and the US
Hacking has been a longstanding issue in the relationship between China and the United States. Despite a 2015 agreement between Presidents Obama and Xi Jinping not to support cyber theft of intellectual property, attacks on US companies by Chinese government-backed hackers continued. One of the biggest attacks was that of Microsoft Exchange in 2021, which was attributed to China.
The Chinese government has criticized the US CHIPS Act for being discriminatory and showing a Cold War mentality. Also, the number of export restrictions related to chips is a touchy subject, especially now that Japan and the Netherlands have tightened their rules as well.