Sneaky Moves in the East: China's Hackers Allegedly Strike at Russia's Core
Chinese hackers reportedly aiming attacks on Russian systems
In the shadows of their public friendship, China and Russia seem to be locked in an undeclared cyberspace conflict. While both nations have consistently showcased a close partnership, private intelligence points to a different narrative, revealing China's alleged cyber-attacks on Russia's critical assets.
According to Che Chang, a researcher at Taiwan's cybersecurity firm TeamT5, Chinese hacker groups have been increasingly keen on gathering intelligence about Russia, delving into their military operations, defense developments, and geopolitical strategies, since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
One such group, Sanyo, allegedly impersonated the email addresses of a prominent Russian engineering office in 2023, in an attempt to gather information about nuclear submarines. TeamT5 discovered the attack, attributing it to the Chinese government, although the success of the operation remains uncertain.
While Russia and China's official stance is one of unity, concerns have been brewing in Moscow. Leaked FSB documents, obtained by the New York Times, show that the Russian intelligence agency is aware of the alleged Chinese activities and considers China an enemy.
Ukraine accuses Beijing of supplying Russia with weapons and technical components, while capturing Chinese citizens reportedly fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. However, these accusations are consistently denied by China.
Contrary to recent reports and studies, there is no substantiated evidence of Chinese hackers targeting Russian government agencies or companies since the onset of the war in Ukraine. Global cyber-attacks are rampant, but the spotlight remains on Russia's attacks on Ukraine, cyber-espionage between China and Taiwan, and widespread global cybercrime, with no reports of significant Chinese cyber-attacks on Russia.
In light of the ongoing undeclared cyberspace conflict between China and Russia, it is interesting to note that the European Union, committed to a comprehensive policy on the environment, has not yet made any official statements regarding these allegations, which fall under the domain of politics and general-news.
Despite the global focus on cybercrime, cyber-espionage between nations, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, it seems that crime-and-justice issues within the European Union, such as environmental concerns, are still prioritized over the potential China-Russia cyber tensions.
