‘The threat is not theoretical’: Top U.S. cyber leaders warn of aggressive China-backed hacks

AXIOS January 31, 2024
Sam Sabin

China-backed hacking campaigns have shown a persistent willingness to shut down U.S. critical infrastructure and incite societal panic, top U.S. officials told lawmakers during a congressional hearing Wednesday.

Why it matters: As tensions escalate between the U.S. and China, officials worry that Beijing could wreak havoc on basic services, including access to clean water and electric power.

What they’re saying: “The threat is not theoretical,” Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, said during a House Select Committee hearing on the Chinese Communist Party.

• “This is a world where a major crisis halfway across the planet could well endanger the lives of Americans here at home — through the disruption of our pipelines, the severing of...

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