Cybersecurity leader advocates for countermeasures against cyber attacks traced back to Chinese origins
The United States is stepping up its efforts to counter ongoing cyber threats from the People's Republic of China, with National Cyber Director Harry Coker Jr. leading the charge. In a recent hearing before the House Select Committee on the China Communist Party, Coker warned that the U.S. needs to do a better job of deterring these threats.
Coker was one of four top national security officials who testified about the PRC threat last January. He emphasised the need for the U.S. to marshal all available resources to counter the threat, including diplomatic, economic, intelligence, and coalitions with like-minded nations.
The warnings come in response to current campaigns of threat activity targeting critical infrastructure in the U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen expressed serious concerns about malicious cyber activity to China's Vice Premier He Lifeng during a virtual meeting. In December, a suspected PRC-linked hacker stole unclassified data from the U.S. Treasury Department.
Another state-linked threat group called Salt Typhoon has penetrated nine major telecom companies in recent months, with its espionage effort targeting key officials and others living in the U.S. The FBI has disrupted at least two PRC-linked botnets over the past year, including a September operation against a Mirai-variant botnet linked to the Flax Typhoon threat group.
The U.S. can effectively deter ongoing cyber threats from China through a multifaceted approach. This includes developing a comprehensive cyber deterrence strategy, investment in offensive cyber operations, adopting zero trust security models, enhancing collaboration with the private sector, conducting detailed risk assessments, and supporting allies and regional partners.
The Senate Armed Services Committee is pushing for legislation requiring the Department of Defense to formulate a strategy to restore credible deterrence against cyberattacks targeting American critical infrastructure. The annual defense policy bill (National Defense Authorization Act) includes provisions requiring a focus on cyber-deterrence strategy development by the DoD to counter adversaries, explicitly naming China’s cyber actors and threat groups.
Cyber Command has requested significantly increased funding aimed at bolstering cyber defenses around the Pacific, including protecting key military outposts like Guam, which have been targeted in cyber espionage campaigns linked to Chinese groups such as Volt Typhoon. The U.S. is enhancing cybersecurity capacity building for Taiwan, a primary regional target of Chinese cyberattacks, to bolster its military readiness and resilience in a crisis.
In summary, deterring Chinese cyber threats targeting U.S. critical infrastructure involves strategic offensive and defensive cyber operations, legislative mandates to ensure DoD leadership, investment in technology and workforce, robust public-private partnerships, and strong international alliances—especially in the Indo-Pacific. Recent legislative proposals and increased funding requests indicate a clear commitment by the U.S. government to address and counter these ever-evolving threats.
- The multifaceted approach to counter ongoing cyber threats from China includes developing a comprehensive cyber deterrence strategy, investment in offensive cyber operations, adopting zero trust security models, enhancing collaboration with the private sector, and supporting allies and regional partners.
- In response to the ongoing cyber threats from the People's Republic of China, the U.S. is bolstering cyber defenses around key military outposts like Guam, and enhancing cybersecurity capacity building for Taiwan to bolster its military readiness and resilience.
- The Senate Armed Services Committee is advocating for legislation requiring the Department of Defense to formulate a strategy to restore credible deterrence against cyberattacks targeting American critical infrastructure, with a specific focus on cyber-deterrence strategy development by the DoD against Chinese cyber actors and threat groups.
