China’s onslaught of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure is likely a contingency move designed to gain a strategic advantage in the event of kinetic warfare, according to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). The agency’s 2023 Cyber Strategy released this week flagged an uptick in state-sponsored cybercrime from the People’s Republic of China, specifically against sensitive targets that could have an effect on military response.
CISA Director Jen Easterly warned that the Chinese government is likely getting itself into the position to conduct disruptive attacks on American pipelines, railroads, and other critical infrastructure if the U.S. gets involved during a potential invasion of Taiwan. To combat the activity of Volt Typhoon and other threats to physical safety in the critical infrastructure space, the DoD laid out a “whole-of-government” effort in its report, designed to “increase resilience and make it more difficult for adversaries to disrupt essential services.”
