Beijing's Cunning Move: Chinese Hackers Taking Aim at Russian Targets Amidst Ukraine Conflict
China's hackers allegedly set sights on Russia.
Wanna know somethin' intriguin'? Since the Russian-Ukraine conflict kicked off, Chinese hacker groups have been quietly sharpenin' their swords, targetin' Russian companies and government agencies. It's like they're havin' a secret dig at their so-called allies, all while playin' nice in public.
According to reports, China's up to some serious intel-gatherin'. They're after classified information 'bout Russia's military op'rations in Ukraine, defense developments, and geopolitical shenanigans. Che Chang, a researcher at the Taiwanese cybersecurity firm TeamT5, spilled the beans to the "New York Times".
Got an example? Back in 2023, a group called Sanyo? They was pretendin' to be an email address from a big Russian engineering office, tryin' to snatch details 'bout nuclear submarines. Thanks to TeamT5, they caught 'em in the act and traced it back to the Chinese goverment. But here's the kicker: it's still unclear if they scored the intel or not.
Politics, eh? It always paints a different picture than what we see. Back in January, Chang already told "Politico" that the technical insights didn't match with the tight-knit relationship between Moscow and Beijing. There's even a document from Russia's domestic intelligence service FSB that was nabbed by the "New York Times". It showed that Moscow isRenderin' China as a lesser than friendly foe in the cyber espionage game.
In the limelight, China and Russia are all smiles and happy-go-lucky partnership vibes. But Ukraine's been whisperin' in the wind about China supplyin' Russia with weapons and tech components for their war efforts. They even claim to have Chinese soldiers fightin' in Russia's ranks. China just brushes it off as false, but things are gettin' shady real quick.
- China
- Russia
- Hackers
- Cyberwar
- Wars and Conflicts
- Attack on Ukraine
[1] Thompson, D. (2023, January 18). Chinese Hackers Steal Information from U.S. Law Firms and Companies. The New York Times.[2] Herf, A. (2022, July 12). China’s Salami Slicing in the Digital Frontier. The Wall Street Journal.[3] Bloomberg News. (2022, May 18). China has been hiding its military expansion in the South China Sea. Here's what it looks like. CNBC.[4] Levin, J. A. (2023, March 14). The US and China's Missing War in Space, and the Threat It Poses. Foreign Affairs.[5] Klimoski, T. (2022, August 15). Will China Attack Taiwan? Inside the Looming Military Crisis. Rolling Stone.
Despite the apparent harmony between China and Russia, recent reports indicate Chinese hacker groups are targeting Russian companies and government agencies, digging for classified information about military operations in Ukraine, defense developments, and geopolitical maneuvers. Moreover, the European Union, committed to a comprehensive policy on the environment, may find itself in the middle of a diplomatic storm due to China's clandestine cyberwar moves and its alleged involvement in supplying weapons and tech components to Russia amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
