According to a report by The Washington Post, hackers associated with China’s People’s Liberation Army have successfully infiltrated the computer networks of approximately two dozen critical American infrastructure entities over the past year. This escalation in Chinese cyber capabilities is reportedly aimed at disrupting essential services in the U.S., such as power and water utilities, transportation, and communication networks.
These cyber intrusions are part of a strategy to induce panic and create logistical challenges in the event of a conflict between the U.S. and China, particularly in the Pacific region. Incidents of cyberattacks have already been reported, including an attack on a Hawaiian water utility, a significant port on the West Coast, and an oil and gas pipeline. The Washington Post attributes these reports to individuals with knowledge of the events.
Moreover, there have been attempts to breach the computer systems of the operator managing Texas’ power grid. The attention given to Hawaii, the location of the Pacific Fleet, suggests China’s intent to hinder U.S. military movements and logistics in case tensions over Taiwan escalate into a conflict.
The report clarifies that none of these cyber intrusions led to direct control system disruptions or operational impacts.
Brandon Wales, the executive director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency at the Department of Homeland Security, commented on these activities. He indicated that China’s efforts to compromise U.S. critical infrastructure aim to position themselves to potentially disrupt or destroy these systems in a conflict scenario. This would either obstruct the U.S.’s power projection capabilities in Asia or create internal chaos in the U.S.
Wales noted that this represents a significant shift from China’s cyber activities focused mainly on political and economic espionage seven to ten years ago. The objective now also includes influencing U.S. decision-making during a crisis.
In a related development, Microsoft reported in July that Chinese state-affiliated hackers covertly accessed the email accounts of about 25 organizations, including government entities, in a broad cyberespionage campaign. While Microsoft did not specify the affected organizations or governments, the White House acknowledged that the U.S. had reported this incident to Microsoft.
