Key Highlights
- China accuses the U.S. of cyber breaches at its national time center.
- The Ministry of State Security claims evidence tracing stolen data and credentials back to 2022.
- The U.S. National Security Agency has allegedly exploited vulnerabilities in smartphone messaging services.
- China’s accusations come amid renewed trade tensions over rare earths export controls.
Chinese Accusations of US Cyber Breaches at National Time Center
Beijing, October 19 (Reuters) – China has accused the United States of conducting a prolonged cyber operation against its national time center, raising concerns about potential disruptions to communication networks and financial systems. The Ministry of State Security (MSS) stated that the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) had infiltrated the National Time Service Center over an extended period, accessing sensitive data and credentials as early as 2022.
Details of the Cyberattack
The MSS reported that the NSA exploited a vulnerability in the messaging service of a foreign smartphone brand to spy on staff members’ mobile devices. This operation has been ongoing since at least 2022, according to the Ministry’s findings. The National Time Service Center is part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and plays a crucial role in generating, maintaining, and broadcasting China’s standard time.
“The United States launched attacks on the center’s internal network systems and attempted to attack the high-precision ground-based timing system in 2023 and 2024,” said the Ministry. The U.S. embassy in Beijing did not directly address these accusations but stated that Chinese cyber actors had compromised major U.S. and global telecommunications providers’ networks for broad, significant cyber espionage campaigns.
“China is the most active and persistent cyber threat to U.S. government, private-sector, and critical infrastructure networks,” an embassy spokesperson told Reuters in an email.
Tensions Amplified by Trade Disputes
The latest accusations come amid heightened tensions between China and the United States over trade relations. The U.S. is considering further raising tariffs on Chinese goods due to China’s expanded rare earths export controls, which are crucial for various high-tech industries.
“The cyberwarfare aspect of this conflict adds a new dimension to the ongoing trade disputes,” said cybersecurity expert Dr. Liang Chen from Tsinghua University. “While economic sanctions and tariffs can impact short-term trade flows, persistent cyber intrusions could have long-lasting effects on technological innovation and national security.”
Implications for Global Stability
The breach at China’s National Time Service Center highlights the growing concern over cyber threats to critical infrastructure. Accurate timekeeping is essential for synchronization in telecommunications, financial markets, power grids, and other sectors that rely on precise timing.
“The implications of such a breach could be severe,” noted cybersecurity analyst Zhang Wei from Peking University. “A disruption in China’s standard time could lead to widespread chaos across multiple industries, affecting both domestic operations and international coordination.”
The U.S. and China have long engaged in a cycle of accusations regarding cyber breaches, each blaming the other as the primary threat. The latest allegations add another layer of complexity to an already strained relationship.
