FBI Director Christopher Wray issued a stark warning about the infiltration of U.S. critical infrastructure by hackers with ties to the Chinese government.
Speaking at Vanderbilt University, Wray disclosed details of an ongoing Chinese cyber campaign named “Volt Typhoon,” which has successfully breached numerous American companies operating in vital sectors such as telecommunications, energy, and water. 23 pipeline operators have been targeted.
Wray emphasized the grave threat posed by China‘s efforts to gain control over U.S. infrastructure, stating that they are building the capability to cause significant disruptions at a time of their choosing.
He described the strategy as aimed at striking civilian infrastructure with the intention of sowing panic among the population.
Attributing motives to the cyber pre-positioning was challenging, Wray noted, but he underscored its alignment with China’s broader agenda of dissuading the U.S. from intervening in support of Taiwan.
China considers Taiwan a part of its territory and has expressed willingness to use force to assert control over it, a stance vehemently opposed by Taiwan.
The Chinese government has denied any involvement in the cyber campaign, with a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson attributing Volt Typhoon to criminal ransomware groups rather than state actors.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington echoed this sentiment, accusing the U.S. of politicizing cybersecurity issues and deflecting blame.
According to Wray, Chinese hackers employ a network of compromised computers and servers worldwide, known as botnets, to conceal their activities.
Multiple reports from private sector technology and cybersecurity companies, including Microsoft and Google, have linked Volt Typhoon to China, corroborating Wray’s assertions.
