Cyberattacks Detected in China
Cyberattacks In 2023, more than 1,200 APT attacks originating from 13 foreign APT organizations were identified by Chinese firm 360 Security Group, according to their annual cybersecurity report released on Tuesday. The report highlights cyber attacks spanning 16 industries in China, with the education sector emerging as the primary focus.
In 2023, 360 identified more than 1,200 APT attack incidents directed at China, originating from 13 foreign APT organizations located primarily in North America, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia.
A spokesperson for 360 Security Group informed the Global Times that APT groups go beyond the usual individual hackers, to include high-level professional entities that are often linked to state-level hacker organizations. Some may also receive direct support from national or political institutions.
APT organizations continuously monitor and participate in espionage activities targeting national governments and critical departments. They pose a significant threat to the country’s politics, economy, society and defence. If these organizations carry out cyberattacks on a country’s infrastructure, it could result in disruption of transportation, banking, aviation and hydropower systems, which would have a serious impact on political stability and economic growth, the expert underlined Is.
According to a recent report, continued advances in APT attack techniques are expanding their scope and increasing their sophistication, with the most serious attacks coming from the US.
The report highlights that US-based APT organizations demonstrate automated, systematic, and intelligent characteristics in their global cyber attacks. Their technologies can target almost all Internet and IoT assets worldwide, enabling them to take over foreign networks and steal vital data to further their military and political espionage goals.
Publicly released reports from global cybersecurity vendors and institutions have identified a total of 135 APT organizations, with US-based organizations leading the way in severity. 360 Security Group has revealed 54 foreign APT organizations in 2023, including APT-C-57 (Wolning) and APT-C-68 (Parasite).
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In China, cyberattacks have affected 16 industries, with education, government, scientific research, national defense, military industry and transportation being the most affected. Notably, half of these attacks targeted the education and scientific research sector, exploiting compromised resources to deliver more accurate attacks and amplify their impact.
Government agencies have consistently been a major target of APT attacks, with maritime agencies, foreign agencies, financial regulators and transportation management also significantly affected. The report emphasizes the need for strict vigilance among China’s foreign affairs-related agencies to thwart such attacks, stressing that data held by foreign agencies directly affects China’s core interests.
APT attacks have particularly targeted southeastern coastal China and the country’s political and economic centers due to the concentration of infrastructure, key resources, and key units in strategic areas. The report attributes the increase in attacks on China’s high-tech sectors, including chips and 5G, to America’s blockade policy.
Experts at 360 Security Group caution that these attacks on China’s high-tech sectors are in line with a political agenda aimed at stifling China’s technological progress. They emphasize the importance of understanding the political motivations behind APT attacks in order to effectively counter them.
Additionally, the report notes an increase in APT attacks on China’s geographical and geological survey areas, indicating the evolving nature of espionage tactics to achieve political and strategic goals.
In July 2023, the US targeted the Wuhan earthquake monitoring center in a cyber attack, raising concerns about the leakage of seismic intensity data critical to national security. The report emphasizes the need for stronger defense mechanisms and recommends leveraging artificial intelligence for automated analysis and response to security incidents.
Experts recommend prompt reporting of cyber security incidents to mobilize a collaborative response involving the government, security vendors and organizations to effectively deal with APT threats.
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