US: "North Korea, China, and Others Interfere in US Politics Through Cyber Operations"

The United States has identified North Korea and China as countries attempting to influence American public opinion through cyber operations.

Paul Nakasone, Commander of the U.S. Cyber Command and Director of the National Security Agency, stated at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing that foreign governments' interference in elections using cyberspace is "a problem we will continue to have to address as far as I can see into the future."

Nakasone, who oversees U.S. military cyber operations, explained that recently, information operations aimed at influencing public opinion have become more common than disruptive actions such as hacking critical infrastructure. When asked whether the countries trying to interfere in U.S. politics are Russia, Iran, North Korea, and China, he replied, "I pointed to the four biggest countries," adding that they are responding to actors seeking to exert influence from outside the United States.

Regarding China's cyber capabilities, he assessed them as "very advanced and formidable," but noted that "they are not on our level."

Nakasone also expressed concerns about the Chinese video-sharing platform TikTok, citing the vast amount of data the company holds, its algorithms, and the risks of information operations, saying, "There are multiple reasons for concern." He added, "Because TikTok has so many users, it can exert influence and also block (undesired) messages."

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