Yesterday, the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party held a hearing on China’s cyber threat to U.S. homeland and national security. The hearing featured testimony from FBI Director Christopher Wray, National Security Agency Director Gen. Paul Nakasone, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Jen Easterly, and National Cyber Director Harry Coker Jr.
The witnesses gave a stark warning about the cyber capabilities and intentions of the Chinese government and its sponsored hackers. They said that China is not only interested in stealing state secrets and intellectual property, but also in disrupting and destroying U.S. critical infrastructure, such as electricity, water, transportation, and communication systems.
They also said that China is preparing for opportunities to incite “societal panic and chaos” in the U.S., especially in the event of a conflict over Taiwan, which China considers a renegade province. They said that China is laying the groundwork for cyberattacks that could hinder the U.S. ability to help Taiwan during a potential invasion.
One of the examples they cited was the recent discovery of hundreds of routers that had been taken over by a Chinese-sponsored hacking group called “Volt Typhoon”. The routers were infected with malicious files that could allow the hackers to access the networks of U.S. organizations and launch further attacks.
The witnesses also said that China has a bigger hacking program than that of any major nation combined, and that it outnumbers the FBI’s total cyber and intelligence resources 50 to 1. They said that China is using its cyber capabilities to supplant the U.S. as the world’s leading superpower, and that it poses the greatest long-term threat to U.S. national security.
The witnesses urged the lawmakers to provide more resources and support for the U.S. cyber defense, including building a stronger cyber workforce, investing in key agencies and programs, enhancing information-sharing and collaboration between the public and private sectors, and imposing costs and consequences on China for its malicious cyber activities.
They also called for more awareness and education among the American public and businesses about the cyber threats from China, and the need to adopt best practices and standards to protect their data and systems.
The hearing was a sobering reminder of the cyber challenges and dangers that the U.S. faces from China, and the need to act swiftly and decisively to counter them. As FBI Director Wray said, “The stakes could not be higher, and the potential economic harm to American businesses and the economy as a whole almost defies calculation.”
Hearing on China’s Cyber Threat to U.S. | C-SPAN.org