Hackers associated with China have been conducting surveillance on critical U.S. infrastructure, positioning themselves for potential attacks, stated FBI Director Christopher Wray.
During his speech at the 2024 Vanderbilt Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats, Wray emphasized that China perceives all sectors vital to American society as fair game in its quest for global dominance.
“The PRC [People’s Republic of China] has made it clear that it considers every sector that makes our society run as fair game in its bid to dominate on the world stage,” Wray asserted.
He further disclosed that the FBI and other federal agencies are actively working to counter this threat, emphasizing that the danger is imminent.
“[China’s] plan is to land low blows against civilian infrastructure to try to induce panic and break America’s will to resist,” Wray warned.
The motivation behind China’s cyber espionage lies in the Chinese Communist Party’s desire for wealth and power. While it remains challenging to ascertain if China’s actions are geared towards hindering U.S. efforts to protect Taiwan, Wray highlighted China’s preparation for a potential crisis in the region by 2027.
Wray highlighted China’s aggressive efforts to pilfer intellectual property, technology, and research across various American industries, including the targeting of 23 pipeline operators.
“The PRC’s targeting of our critical infrastructure is both broad and unrelenting,” Wray emphasized. “It’s using that mass, those numbers, to give itself the ability to physically wreak havoc on our critical infrastructure at a time of its choosing.”
Despite efforts by U.S. law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and the military to thwart such attacks, Wray underscored the importance of proactive collaboration between companies and their local FBI field offices to enhance preparedness.
Earlier this year, Wray had alerted a House Select Committee on China hearing about the escalating threat posed by China, particularly targeting key infrastructure assets such as the electrical grid, transportation systems, oil and gas pipelines, and water treatment plants in the United States.
