US-China: Biden accuses the Chinese government of collaboration in cyber attacks

• Media, cell phones of reporters and activists spied by governments with Pegasus software

Share

July 19, 2021 - The Biden administration accused the Chinese government of partnering with criminal gangs to commit widespread cyberattacks, including one on Microsoft this year that affected tens of thousands of organizations.

The harsh criticism of the Biden administration was made alongside a coalition of allies, including the EU, the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan and NATO. A senior US administration official said China's state security ministry "uses hackers to conduct unauthorized cyber operations globally, including for personal gain." Their operations "include criminal activities, such as cyber extortion, cryptocurrency and theft from victims around the world for profit."

The announcement, writes the Wall Street Journal, "is the Biden administration's most significant action to date regarding China's cyberattack campaign against the US government and American corporations." An action "that often involves the routine espionage of the nation state and the theft of valuable intellectual property such as naval technology and data on coronavirus vaccines".

Hard words also from NATO, which in a document also relating to the

, says: "We acknowledge the statements made by Allies, such as Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, that they assign responsibility for the compromise of Microsoft Exchange servers to the People's Republic of China. In line with the recent communiqué from the Brussels Summit, we invite all States, including China, to respect their international obligations and commitments and to act responsibly within the international system, including in the IT sector ".

The North Atlantic Council also reaffirms its readiness to "continue a constructive dialogue with China, based on our interests, on issues important to the Alliance, such as cyber threats, and on common challenges".