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The announcements come amid growing concerns over cyber warfare and national security vulnerabilities in the digital age.
British Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden addressed Parliament on Monday, disclosing that China-affiliated actors were responsible for two cyber campaigns aimed at democratic institutions and parliamentarians in the UK. Dowden specifically attributed a cyberattack on the Electoral Commission, which occurred between 2021 and 2022, to a China state-affiliated actor. The attack compromised the data of millions of voters, accessing names and addresses of individuals registered to vote between 2014 and 2022.
The Chinese Embassy in the UK swiftly denied the allegations, dismissing them as “completely fabricated and malicious slanders.” The embassy spokesperson reiterated China’s commitment to combating cyber attacks in accordance with the law.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Justice Department unsealed an indictment charging seven Chinese nationals with conspiracy to commit computer intrusions and wire fraud. These individuals, allegedly part of the APT31 hacking group, are accused of targeting U.S. businesses, government officials, and politicians in cyber campaigns spanning over 14 years.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland condemned the actions of the Chinese government, emphasizing the Justice Department’s determination to counter efforts aimed at intimidating Americans and threatening national security.
The revelations are likely to strain diplomatic relations between Western nations and China, already fraught with geopolitical tensions. The UK-China relationship has witnessed deterioration in recent years, particularly concerning national security risks associated with Chinese technology firms. Similarly, the U.S.-China relationship has been under pressure, with lawmakers in the U.S. approving legislation that could potentially lead to the ban of TikTok, a popular social media platform owned by Chinese parent company ByteDance.
Experts emphasize the need for robust cybersecurity defenses and international collaboration to mitigate cyber threats and uphold norms governing state behavior in cyberspace. The developments underscore the growing significance of cybersecurity in geopolitical discourse and highlight the challenges posed by state-sponsored cyber attacks in an increasingly digitized world.