Chinese hackers preparing to ‘wreak havoc’ on US infrastructure: FBI

Washington: FBI Director Christopher Wray issued a stark warning about the looming threat posed by Chinese hackers to the critical infrastructure of the United States, CNN reported.

“China’s hackers are positioning on American infrastructure in preparation to wreak havoc and cause real-world harm to American citizens and communities if or when China decides the time has come to strike,” Wray told the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.

Wray said that the Chinese government-backed hackers are strategically positioning themselves within American infrastructure, focusing on targets such as water treatment plants, electrical grids, and oil and natural gas pipelines.

He asserted that these cyber actors are actively working to identify and prepare for potential attacks on civilian critical infrastructure, emphasising the tangible threat cyber intrusions pose to the physical safety and prosperity of the nation.

The Chinese hackers are working “to find and prepare to destroy or degrade the civilian critical infrastructure that keeps us safe and prosperous,” Wray said, adding, “And let’s be clear: cyber threats to our critical infrastructure represent real-world threats to our physical safety.”

The Chinese government has previously denied allegations of hacking efforts, as reported by CNN.

While acknowledging China’s denial of hacking allegations, Wray pointed out that the cybersecurity vulnerabilities in US technology have made it easier for Chinese hackers to exploit basic flaws.

Jen Easterly, head of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, supported this view, noting that decades of prioritising features and speed to market over security have left critical infrastructure inherently insecure. (ANI)

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