A senior U.S. cybersecurity official has revealed that Chinese hackers are strategically positioning themselves within critical U.S. infrastructure, preparing for a potential conflict. Morgan Adamski, executive director of U.S. Cyber Command, confirmed that Chinese cyber operations are designed to gain an advantage in case of a major crisis or military conflict between the two nations.
In his comments at the Cyberwarcon security conference in Arlington, Virginia, Adamski explained that China-linked hackers are infiltrating key infrastructure systems, including energy, water, and communications. These cyber activities aim to create vulnerabilities in the event of a confrontation, enabling potential disruptions such as manipulating HVAC systems or causing power and water outages.
🇺🇸🇨🇳BREAKING: CHINESE HACKERS ARE READY FOR CYBER WAR
U.S. cyber officials warn: Beijing’s hackers are deep in critical systems—power grids, water supplies, even telecoms—ready to flip the switch if conflict sparks.
Dubbed “Salt Typhoon,” they’ve stolen call data, breached… pic.twitter.com/47QwWcwntB
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) November 22, 2024
Chinese hackers preparing for conflict, says US cyber official https://t.co/qJRMCvBAG9 pic.twitter.com/uRAY3iATyF
— Reuters World (@ReutersWorld) November 22, 2024
The warning comes as the U.S. government grapples with the growing threat of cyberattacks from China. A recent breach, known as the “Salt Typhoon” cyber espionage operation, targeted U.S. telecommunications firms and was described as one of the worst telecom hacks in U.S. history. The attack involved the theft of sensitive call records and the compromise of communications between high-level officials involved in the presidential campaigns.
Chinese hackers were able to deeply penetrate U.S. telecommunications infrastructure over the past several months.
The worst part? The networks are still compromised and it may take incredibly drastic measures to boot them from U.S. systems.https://t.co/VEnviG2NIt
— Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) November 23, 2024
While the Chinese government continues to deny any involvement in cyberattacks against the U.S., American officials are increasing their efforts to counter these activities. The FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have been providing support to affected organizations and issuing warnings about potential vulnerabilities. Additionally, U.S. authorities have been conducting coordinated efforts globally to disrupt Chinese cyber operations, including sanctions, law enforcement actions, and cybersecurity advisories.
NSA director Gen Haugh tells me he’d like to publish a hunt guide for Salt Typhoon so companies and allies can find, oust and protect against Chinese telco hackers. That needs collective action at speed, he said at NSIF2024.https://t.co/GnImrfoWg0
— Katrina Manson (@KatrinaManson) November 20, 2024
Senator Warns Chinese Hackers "Salt Typhoon" Have Access To All U.S. Mobile Phones https://t.co/lu0MrFDXGc
— The Beach From Florida (@BeachFrmFL) November 23, 2024
As cyber warfare becomes an increasingly prominent feature of modern geopolitical conflict, the U.S. must continue to strengthen its cybersecurity defenses to protect critical infrastructure. The need for proactive measures against state-sponsored cyberattacks is becoming ever more urgent as China continues its campaign of cyber espionage.
