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Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the US has seen growing cybersecurity threats both at home and across Asia, and is warning of activity coming from Russia, China, North Korea and Iran.
“Malicious activity from the PRC is a real and present threat, not only to the United States, but to other countries as well, and that’s why I’ve come this far here,” Bloomberg Television’s Haslinda Amin said Wednesday during a trip to Singapore.
His remarks come amid heightened tensions between the US and China over a range of issues from trade to human rights and the status of Taiwan. The US government has long claimed that China runs extensive hacking operations and has repeatedly warned nations of security breaches stemming from Chinese-led use of mobile networks and internet technology.
Beijing routinely denies the allegations, saying it is the victim of cyber attacks and countering that the US is a “hacking empire”.
Mayorkas said China has now become “very, very aggressive” in selling its telecommunications technology globally. “We feel compelled to share the dangers of allowing this to happen with our close partners and allies,” he added.
The US has largely been trying to fight back against attacks by criminal hackers, who have successfully targeted everything from gas pipelines and meat factories to schools and hospitals. Last month, the Biden administration invited state and local governments to apply for $1 billion in new cybersecurity grants over four years.
The US government has made a number of efforts to try to stem the flood of attacks, including charging hackers, prosecuting entities allegedly helping to launder illegal profits and ordering software companies that do business with the government to certify that they comply with new cyber standards.
Speaking during a cyber summit in Singapore on Tuesday night, Mayorkas warned that “hostile nations”, including Russia and China, have only become more sophisticated, increasing the risk of negative consequences. “These cyber operations threaten the economic and national security of everyone in this room,” he said.
Photo: Alejandro Mayorkas. Photographer: Cristobal Herrera-Ulashkevich/EPA/Bloomberg
Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
Topics USA Cyber Russia China
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