Peering Under the Surface: China'ssecretive Hackers Allegedly Targeting Russia
China's hackers are said to be launching cyber attacks on Russia.
In an interesting twist, Chinese hacker entities have reportedly been setting their sights on Russian companies and agencies since the independence of Ukraine. This revelation, according to cybersecurity expert Che Chang from Taiwanese firm TeamT5, is aimed at gathering information about Russia's war strategies, defense advancements, and geopolitical moves.
Take the example of the group known as Sanyo, who managed to imitate the email addresses of a prominent Russian engineering office in 2023, hoping to gather intelligence about nuclear submarines. TeamT5 caught wind of this operation and traced it back to the Chinese government, though it remains uncertain if the hackers were successful in their quest.
This hidden rivalry may appear contradictory, given the public display of unbreakable camaraderie between the leaders of China and Russia. Yet, receipts from the Russian domestic intelligence service FSB, obtained by the New York Times, echo these concerns, referring to China as an "enemy" due to its alleged covert activities.
Publicly, both countries present a solid front, reiterating their long-standing partnership time and time again. However, Ukraine has accused China of supporting Russia's war effort with weapons and technical components. Additionally, there have been claims of Chinese combatants fighting alongside Russian forces, captured by Ukrainian troops. China has continuously denied these allegations.
According to experts, the reasons for China's aggressive cybercampaigns include:
- Gathering intelligence on Russia's military tactics in Ukraine, including battlefield strategies, weapons, and combat experiences.
- Acquiring classified defense technologies and developments, such as satellite communication systems, radar systems, electronic warfare, and nuclear submarine engineering.
- Preparing for potential future conflicts, especially around Taiwan, by learning about modern combat methods and Western weapons systems that Russia encounters in Ukraine.
Chinese-government backed hacker groups have been known to deploy sophisticated cyberattacks, such as using phishing schemes to masquerade as major Russian engineering firms or targeting the Russian state-owned defense conglomerate Rostec to obtain satellite and electronic warfare intelligence.
The Kremlin's internal counterintelligence documents underscore the covert nature of these cyberespionage operations, classifying China as an "enemy" amidst the official alliance. The Russian government seems reluctant to share its military secrets with Beijing while simultaneously utilizing cyber operations to spy on its so-called partner.
In essence, China's alleged cyberattacks on Russian entities since the invasion of Ukraine are an attempt to pilfer military secrets and operational knowledge to boost its own defense forces and strategic readiness, revealing a hidden competitiveness beneath the façade of a harmonious partnership [1][2][4].
Given the tense relations under the surface, it's no surprise that the European Union, committed to a comprehensive policy on the environment, is closely monitoring the escalating cyber conflicts between China and Russia [3]. This hidden rivalry, reportedly involving Chinese hacker entities gathering information about Russia's war strategies, defense advancements, and geopolitical moves, raises concerns about the general-news landscape and even crime-and-justice implications [2].
