On Monday, the British Deputy Prime Minister announced to the MPs in the House of Commons that both the British Electoral Commission’s systems and the private devices of several parliamentarians had been hacked. According to the National Center for Cybersecurity, the cybercriminals behind the attacks were most likely working on behalf of the Chinese government. This was seen as a clear signal of hostile intentions from China.
The US Department of Justice also revealed that these same hackers conducted cyber attacks in America, targeting various government departments and members of Congress. The New Zealand government also confirmed that their Parliament server was a victim of state-sponsored cyber activity attributed to China. These attacks took place between 2021 and 2022.
The US Department of Justice identified the hacker group as “APT 31”, operating out of Wuhan, China. The group is believed to have ties to the Chinese Ministry of National Security and has been responsible for cyber operations targeting critics of the Communist Party and stealing business secrets. The group used phishing emails to gain access to sensitive information from companies in key sectors.
Political decision-makers in all three affected countries, including members of cross-party committees dealing with China, were targeted by these hackers. The extent of these attacks on individual politicians has raised concerns about cybersecurity and foreign interference in political affairs. Sanctions were imposed on these hackers and their associated companies by both the British and US governments.
China denied any involvement in these cyber attacks and criticized sanctions imposed by both countries as unnecessary interference in their internal affairs. The Chinese Embassy in London stated that they do not interfere in internal affairs other countries and suggested that current governments will be judged by their actions soon.
These escalating tensions highlight growing concerns over cybersecurity and foreign influence on political processes.
In conclusion, it is evident that state-sponsored cyber attacks are becoming more common across different countries around the world, with China being one such country known for its aggressive behavior towards other nations regarding its interests
