The director of Britain’s electronic intelligence gathering agency has issued a warning about China’s growing cyber risk to the UK. Anne Keast-Butler highlighted China’s development of hostile hacking capabilities, expressing concerns that the People’s Republic of China is collaborating with non-state cyber organisations to enhance its hacking abilities. She emphasized that China’s actions are coercive and destabilising, posing a significant threat to the UK and other western countries. Keast-Butler stated that China has built an advanced set of cyber capabilities and is taking advantage of a thriving commercial ecosystem of hacking groups and data brokers. Furthermore, Chinese hackers have recently targeted the UK, including state-sponsored campaigns against UK parliamentarians and the Electoral Commission. Cyber security officials have also revealed that the Chinese government stockpiles security vulnerabilities for future hacking attacks. Western intelligence agencies are worried that Chinese state-sponsored hacking groups are accessing critical infrastructure networks for potential political leverage. Harry Coker, national security director at the White House, warned that China could use its cyber capabilities to disrupt civilian infrastructure in a crisis or conflict scenario. This poses a global challenge, extending beyond the United States. Alongside China, Russia and North Korea remain the greatest cyber risks to the UK and its allies, according to the CEO of the National Cyber Security Centre. She highlighted the Chinese Volt Typhoon hacking group as a concern due to its potential for disruptive or destructive cyber attacks. While there have been no indications of the group targeting the UK, its activities serve as a warning of China’s intent to jeopardize essential networks.
GCHQ Director asserts that China’s cyber security risk to the UK is authentic and escalating
