US Targets China for Hacking Again... Biden Says "Chinese Government Protects Hackers"

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a warning about hacking originating from China. Related measures at the U.S. government level are expected to be taken.

On the 19th (local time), marking 60 days since his inauguration, President Biden spoke at the White House and, in response to questions about China's hacking attempts, said, "While the Chinese government has not directly conducted global cyber espionage operations, it is seen as protecting hackers who engage in such activities within China."

President Biden also stated that an investigation into Chinese hacking is underway and that he expects to receive a detailed report on the 20th.

An anonymous official explained, "We are not ruling out additional measures to hold China accountable, and initially, we are focusing on getting other countries to join us."

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki also said at a regular briefing that the U.S. government has the right to take further actions against China for its role in global hacking activities.

The White House issued a statement that day identifying hackers linked to China's Ministry of State Security as behind the hacking attacks targeting Microsoft's (MS) email server software 'Exchange' that occurred earlier this year, criticizing, "The irresponsible behavior China displays in cyberspace contradicts its goal of becoming a responsible leader in the world."

The White House claimed that hackers who previously worked for China's Ministry of State Security are leading cyberattacks such as ransomware and cryptocurrency theft.

The White House is also reportedly planning to form a ransomware task force (TF) to respond to successive ransomware attacks.

The statement also noted that the European Union (EU), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand joined in criticizing China.

This is the first time the U.S. and its allies have taken a stance on the MS Exchange hacking perpetrators.

Regarding this, a senior U.S. official explained that the number of countries condemning China's cyberattacks is the largest ever, and especially that NATO's participation is a first.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.