Key points
- Claims 42 “cyberattack weapons” used
- Tensions rise amid trade and tech disputes
BEIJING: China on Sunday accused the US National Security Agency (NSA) of launching cyberattacks on its national time centre following an investigation, saying that any damage to related facilities could have disrupted network communications, financial systems, and electricity supply.
In a post on WeChat, the Ministry of State Security claimed that the US agency had exploited weaknesses in the messaging services of a foreign mobile phone brand to steal sensitive data from the devices of staff at the National Time Service Centre in 2022. The ministry did not name the brand, reports AFP.
It further alleged that the US agency had used 42 kinds of “special cyberattack weapons” to target several internal network systems at the centre and had attempted to infiltrate a key timing system between 2023 and 2024.
The ministry stated that it possessed evidence but did not disclose it in the post.
Chinese cyber threats
It explained that the time centre is tasked with generating and distributing China’s standard time and also provides timing services to sectors including communications, finance, energy, transport, and defence. The ministry added that it had offered guidance to the centre to mitigate the risks.
“The US is accusing others of what it does itself, repeatedly hyping up claims about Chinese cyber threats,” the ministry said.
In recent years, Western governments have accused hackers linked to Beijing of targeting officials, journalists, companies, and other entities. The ministry’s statement could heighten tensions between Washington and Beijing, which are already strained over trade, technology, and Taiwan.
The US Embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
