FBI Director Christopher Wray said during an appearance before a House of Representatives committee that hackers linked to the Chinese communist regime are attacking the nation's "infrastructure" with the aim of causing "real harm" to Americans.
Wray testified before the House Select Committee -which focuses on the challenge that the Chinese Communist Party poses to the US- that the cyber attacks carried out by Beijing "are not focused solely on political and military objectives" but rather aim to sabotage the country's water treatment plants, electrical grid, oil and gas pipelines, and transportation hubs:
Chinese hackers are positioning themselves in American infrastructure preparing to wreak real havoc and damage on American citizens and communities, if and when China decides the time has come to strike. They are not solely focused on political and military. We can see from where they are positioned through the civil infrastructure that low blows are only a possibility in the event of conflict; low blows against civilians are part of China's plan.
"They are actively attacking our economic security"
Wray - who testified alongside Gen. Paul Nakasone, commander of Cyber Command, and other top federal officials - also warned that little attention has been paid to the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party to National Security and revealed that Chinese hackers outnumber FBI cyber personnel by "at least 50 to one":
“In fact, if you took every single one of the FBI’s cyber agents, and intelligence analysts and focused them exclusively on the China threat…
China’s hackers would still outnumber FBI cyber personnel by at least 50-1.” - @FBI Director Wray pic.twitter.com/VrhHZxgHlC
— Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (@committeeonccp) January 31, 2024
The PRC's cyberattack goes far beyond preparation for future conflicts. Today, and literally every day, they are actively attacking our economic security, engaging in massive theft of our innovation and our personal and corporate data. The multiple attacks on our National and economic Security is the defining threat of our generation.
The director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Jen Easterly, assured that Chinese intrusions in water, energy, aviation and transportation infrastructure have been "found and eradicated." However, he declared that Americans must also be prepared for the risk of an unexpected attack.
The Pentagon adds 20 companies to the list of collaboration with China
While the hearing was taking place in the Lower House, the Pentagon pointed out more than 20 companies (including technology and telecommunications) known for collaborating with the Chinese Armed Forces.
According to the Department of Defense, the companies are now included in the list of "Chinese military companies" that operate "directly or indirectly in the United States." Among them: Megvii (Artificial Intelligence), Global Tone Communication (data analysis) and CloudWalk Technology (developer of facial recognition software).
