China hits out at US and UK over cyber hack claims

(L-R Top row): Ni Gaobin; Cheng Feng; Xiong Wang; Sun Xiaohui (L-R Bottom row): Peng Yaowen; Zhao Guangzong; Weng Ming

By Simon Fraser

BBC News

China has refuted claims made by the US and the UK that it is responsible for a state-sponsored hackers activity involving millions of people in Western nations.

Washington and other countries may quit their own cyberattacks, according to a spokesperson for the foreign ministry, who called for them to be stopped because they were being “political manipulation.”

He added that the information provided by Britain’s accusations that its electoral fee and MPs had been compromised was “inadequate.”

A Chinese state-run computer system is responsible for the attacks, according to the US and UK.

Two Chinese citizens and a business may face sanctions, the UK announced on Monday. Wuhan Xiaoruizhi Science and Technology Company Ltd, according to the British government, is employed by the state-affiliated cyber espionage organization Advanced Persistent Threat Group 31 ( APT31 ).

Property will be frozen as a result of the UK sanctions, which prohibit British citizens and businesses from managing their funds or resources. They wo n’t be able to enter or remain in the UK if there is a travel ban.

Seven Chinese nationals supposedly working for APT31 were charged with carrying out a common cyber-attack campaign later on Monday, according to the US. They are accused of having relations to a 14-year phishing activity.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Lin Jian vehemently rejected all the claims.

We urge the US and the UK to prevent politicising issues relating to digital surveillance. Prevent blatantly demonizing China and put an end to imposing punitive sanctions against it. Prevent their cyberattack on China,” he declared at a regular press conference in Beijing on Tuesday.

” The Chinese side has already made technical clarifications and response to the APT 31- related Information submitted by the UK side, which made clear that the evidence provided by the UK was inadequate”, he said, adding:” Unfortunately, we have n’t heard from the UK side”.

Lin Jian added that China may take steps to securely uphold its legal rights and interests.

One of the most significant in European past was the cyberattack on the UK Electoral Commissionthat occurred between August 2021 and October 2022.

Not only were sympathetic messages from its” power techniques” and between election authorities over six by-elections accessed, but also data containing names and addresses of people were also accessed.

However, Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden assured the parliamentary that “typically does not make a chance to those affected” that the safety of votes had not been compromised.

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The US state department announced a reward of up to$ 10 million ( £8 million ) for information on the seven men hours later on the other side of the Atlantic.

The justice ministry said thieves had targeted US and overseas critics of China, companies, and lawmakers.

The seven people reportedly sent more than 10, 000 “malicious letters, impacting thousands of victims, across several continents”, in what the justice ministry called a “prolific world hackers activity” backed by China’s state.

New Zealand’s state likewise said its legislature had been targeted by China- backed hackers, and blamed the Foreign” state- sponsored party” APT40 for the attack.

But New Zealand said it would certainly present punishment, as it was not part of the administration’s legislative agenda.