A new report has revealed those behind the December cyberattacks on U.S. wasn’t at the hands of random hackers, but the Chinese government – and the Biden administration covered it up.
The Western Journal reported that members of the Biden administration learned that information after a Chinese official had indirectly admitted it during a meeting in Geneva, according to The Wall Street Journal.
However, Biden administration did not disclose the information, and officials who spoke to the WSJ did so anonymously.
During the meeting in Geneva, Wang Lei, a top cyber official with China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the hacks on U.S. infrastructure was in response to the U.S. military support for Taiwan.
While the WSJ acknowledged it wasn’t directly said, the language was perceived as a threat if the U.S. takes Taiwan’s side.
“The Biden administration wanted to convey doubts that China’s political and military leadership, including President Xi Jinping, were fully aware of the activities of the hackers,” the report states.
Volt Typhoon was the supposed group behind the hacking campaign that spurred China to immediately deny any knowledge of.
However, the State Department said China has been told the U.S. will “take actions in response to Chinese malicious cyber activity,” and called the hacking “some of the gravest and most persistent threats to U.S. national security.”
A statement from the Chinese embassy further denied China’s involvement and said it was another way for the U.S. to “smear” China.
Dakota Cary, a China expert at the cybersecurity firm SentinelOne, said China wanted to show its capability.
“China wants U.S. officials to know that, yes, they do have this capability, and they are willing to use it,” Cary said.
Fox News reported that a State Department representative said, “Chinese cyber threats are some of the gravest and most persistent threats to U.S. national security.”
“The United States will continue to use all the tools at its disposal to safeguard U.S. critical infrastructure from irresponsible and reckless cyberattacks from Beijing. President Trump is committed to protecting the American people and U.S. critical infrastructure from these threats.”
