Highlights: US, UK and New Zealand accuse China of cyberattacks, Beijing denies. As 2024 promises to be a particularly dense election year around the world, they are issuing a rare joint warning to Beijing. US Department of Justice announced that it had indicted seven Chinese for a “ prolific global hacking operation ” over 14 years aimed at contributing to Beijing’s “ economic espionage and foreign intelligence objectives ” The attack on the Electoral Commission allowed access to servers containing copies of electoral registers with the data of 40 million voters, according to British media.

US, UK and New Zealand accuse China of cyberattacks, Beijing denies

The United Kingdom, New Zealand and the United States together accuse the Chinese government of carrying out and encouraging cyberattacks, targeting their institutions with the aim of weakening them. As 2024 promises to be a particularly dense election year around the world, they are issuing a rare joint warning to Beijing.

The United Kingdom, New Zealand and the United States jointly accuse the Chinese government of cyberattacks. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/Illustration/File Photo

By: RFI with agencies

In coordinated statements, New Zealand and the U.S. Department of Justice accuse this group and others in China of economic espionage and interference announcing sanctions against two individuals.

The US Department of Justice announced that it had indicted seven Chinese for a “

prolific global hacking operation

” over 14 years aimed at contributing to

Beijing’s “

economic espionage and foreign intelligence objectives

”. This operation required the sending of more than 10,000 emails targeting companies, politicians, electoral candidates and journalists working in the United States and abroad, Deputy Justice Minister Lisa Monaco said on Monday.

Attacks on the UK Electoral Commission

Before Parliament meeting in London, Oliver Dowden, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, makes specific accusations. He denounced cyberattacks against parliamentarians critical of Beijing and against the United Kingdom Electoral Commission. The attack on the Electoral Commission allowed access to servers containing copies of electoral registers with the data of 40 million voters, according to British media.

Also read: The United Kingdom accuses China of cyber-maliciousness against parliamentarians

“

I can confirm that actors affiliated with the Chinese state have carried out at least two cyberattacks targeting our institutions and elected officials. Our services attribute these attacks to a group called APT31 directly managed by the Chinese Ministry of State Security

,” he said.

According to Oliver Dowden, this cyberattack will not have an impact on the next election. But the Chinese ambassador will be summoned, he said, and two individuals and their organization will also be subject to sanctions for their “

involvement in malicious cyber activities

”, in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in the world.

New Zealand institutions affected

Wellington accused a group linked to Beijing of having hacked in 2021 the computer system of the Parliament office responsible for developing and publishing laws. New Zealand's cybersecurity agency has linked a Chinese "

state-backed " group known as "

APT40

to a cyberattack on parliamentary services, the country's minister said on Tuesday. Defense Judith Collins, says AFP.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon admitted to the press that attributing the cyberattack to China was an "

important step

", likely to cast a chill on good relations with the country's main trading partner. Wellington expressed his protests to the Chinese ambassador in the country, said the head of New Zealand diplomacy, Winston Peters.

China protests

For its part, Beijing denies this. China "

has firmly protested to the United States and relevant parties and will take all necessary measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests

," said Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

“

The issue of cyberattacks is a global problem, China is one of the first victims. “It’s a complex subject that deserves better than baseless and unproven accusations

,” he also said. To fight against cyberattacks, Washington had set up an intelligence exchange network with London and Wellington, but also Canada and Australia.

US, UK and New Zealand accuse China of cyberattacks, Beijing denies

US, UK and New Zealand accuse China of cyberattacks, Beijing denies

Attacks on the UK Electoral Commission

New Zealand institutions affected

China protests

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