Cyberattacks, Xi Jinping | Massive cyberattack against the USA: Pgr also in Norway

China ended last year as it began: with a massive cyberattack. The victim this time was the US Treasury Department. The attack reportedly took place in early December.

The damage caused is unclear at this time, but there are many indications that the hackers gained access to sensitive information.

The Ministry of Finance, known as the Treasury, naturally has a wealth of highly classified information. It is also deeply involved in the ongoing trade war with China. The department is expected to submit a report on the incident to Congress by the end of January. Then Donald Trump will have taken over the presidency and Trump supporters will dominate the Capitol assembly.

China couldn't have come up with something more stupid just before the change of president.

The largest hacker empire in the world

Under the leadership of its ever-glorious leader, Comrade Xi Jinping, China has fully invested in cyber warfare. At the center of this initiative are the Ministry of State Security and the People's Liberation Army. The latter's cyber headquarters is located in a twelve-story building in Shanghai and is known as Hrenhet 61398.

According to Western estimates, the country's hyperactive cyber branch has around fifty thousand full-time employees. There are also a large number of private companies that work under contract on behalf of the authorities.

The latest cyberattack was discovered by Beyond Trust, a data security company hired by the Ministry of Finance to stop potential intruders. The United States has been a major target for Chinese attackers for several years, and soon-to-be-departing FBI Director Christopher Wray has repeatedly warned of China's unbridled belligerence.

Last year, he called the country the world's largest empire of hackers and cyber thieves.

He was particularly harsh against the Volt Typhoon hacker group, which constitutes a real nuisance for the American authorities, businesses and individuals. Along with other Chinese ships, the Volt Typhoon will be capable of crippling critical US infrastructure, such as telecommunications companies, electricity supplies and hydroelectric plants.

Chinese hackers also target military, etc. In May last year, Microsoft announced that it had attempted to attack US military bases in Guam. ya is located in the Pacific Ocean and is an important link in the Asian defense of the United States. This attack was also carried out by Volt Typhoon.

The attack alerted the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, made up of the United States, Australia, Britain, New Zealand and Canada. Upon arriving at the White House, Trump will have to decide how the United States will deal with the growing Chinese cyber threat.

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Even Trump was affected

During last year's election campaign, Trump himself was attacked by Chinese hackers without his knowledge.

According to the FBI, the Chinese sought to infiltrate the telecommunications of a large number of American politicians, including Donald Trump and his vice-presidential candidate JD Vance. The incident was first revealed in the New York Times. Soon after, the government called on telecommunications companies to strengthen security, in the interest of customers and the nation.

So far, nine major US telecommunications companies have been hit by Chinese intruders. The culprit here is believed to be another band, Salt Typhoon.

Earlier last year, the FBI announced that the organization had uncovered a massive Chinese hacking operation called Flax Typhoon. At that time, attackers had managed to install malware in more than two hundred thousand electronic devices, such as cameras, video recorders and routers. Consumers in other countries have been similarly affected.

Even earlier, in March, seven Chinese nationals were charged with sending thousands of virus-infected emails to US politicians and officials. The operation was to last for fourteen years.

The US State Department has promised a ten million dollar reward to the person(s) with information on the culprits.

Trump announced he would impose 60% tariffs on Chinese imports as soon as he takes office as president. Recent events are unlikely to soften his tone. It is nevertheless striking that China is officially seeking a trial for Trump.

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Is Taiwan the main ml

In his New Year's speech, Xi Jinping did not mention relations with the United States in a single word. However, it was clear that sooner or later Taiwan would be incorporated into the People's Republic of China.

Taiwan has also recently suffered a number of cyberattacks from the mainland. In August last year alone, authorities recorded around 90,000 attacks, writes the Wall Street Journal. Attackers target a wide range of public and private entities.

Taiwan has long been Beijing's most cyberbombed target, according to the government's defense minister. The aim is to create uncertainty and weaken defense capacity. Xi Jinping has announced that Chinese armed forces could invade Taiwan in 2027.

In reality, all democratic countries, from Japan in the east to the United States and Canada in the west, are targets for the Chinese hacking branch. Norway too, where politicians still dream of confident cooperation with the giant of the capital, even of a free trade agreement.

Several similar attacks in Norway

In 2018, several Norwegian state administrators were exposed to a violent hacker attack. The PST opened an investigation and established that the traces pointed towards China, more precisely towards the rear APT31. According to a report from the Norwegian Defense Research Institute (FFI), the group managed to recover 1.2 gigabytes of data. The group had previously carried out several similar attacks in Norway.

In 2020, another Chinese hacker attacked the Storting's email system. Acting Foreign Minister Ine Marie Eriksen Sreide responded by calling the Chinese ambassador on the carpet. Naturally, the ambassador insisted that friendly China was innocent.

China's cyber war against Norway is still in full swing. A year ago, a Norwegian shipping company was attacked by the Mustang Panda hacker group. Later, other shipping companies were also attacked.

The attacks turned out to be part of a larger operation targeting commercial shipping in Europe.

Norway is the fourth largest maritime country in the world. This could be a possible explanation for China's interest in our country, believes Richard Utne, director of the maritime safety department of the Norwegian Coastal Administration.

Large Norwegian companies like Norsk Hydro, Telenor and Visma were also hacked. Norsk Hydro's cleanup cost the company NOK 800 million. The company was among the first Norwegians to establish a presence in China in the 1980s. After investing heavily in Chinese business life, and after countless return banquets and banquets, it was all a gross theft, thank you .

The PST and the National Security Authority (NSM) have recently warned of China's hostile activities towards Norway. Both are clear that Norwegian companies, large and small, need to strengthen their data preparedness and close any gaps in their data systems.

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Talent competition for cyber brains

Xi Jinping took over as head of the Communist Party in 2012. Shortly after, he allowed himself to be named president. In his powerful dual role, he was quick to declare that China must become a center of power in cyberspace.

At a time when hybrid warfare is becoming increasingly common, Xi's loyal subordinates have taken up the challenge with enthusiasm. Every year, the authorities invite national talent competitions to attract the sharpest cyber brains.

Young hackers with the world as their field of work are very popular in Beijing.

Western experts emphasize that China's cyber program appears to be both comprehensive and long-term. The Chinese are building stone upon stone, as they did the Great Wall, and now as before, they are working on blasting.

• The post was first published on the writer's Facebook.