Chinese state connected hackers was accountable for 2 destructive cyber attack projects targeting UK parliamentarians and democratic organizations, Oliver Dowden informed the Commons.
The deputy prime minister stated the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), part of GCHQ, had actually recognized a Chinese state-affiliated hacking group accountable for penetrating the IT systems of the UK Electoral Commission in between 2021 and 2023.
A Chinese state-affiliated group, called APT31, likewise carried out reconnaissance activities versus UK parliamentarians in a different project in 2021, Dowden exposed. “This is the most recent in a clear pattern of hostile activity coming from China, consisting of the targeting of democratic organizations and parliamentarians in the United Kingdom and beyond,” he stated. “Taken together, the United Kingdom judges that these actions show a clear and relentless pattern of behaviour that signifies hostile intent versus China.”
Dowden revealed that the federal government was using sanctions to 2 people and a front business connected to the Chinese state-affiliated hacking group, called Advanced Persistent Threat Group 31 (APT31).
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office summoned the Chinese ambassador to the UK to respond to concerns about the hacking attacks.
Dowden’s remarks came as the United States Department of Justice charged 7 Chinese nationalsconnected to APT31 with conspiracy to dedicate computer system invasions and conspiracy to devote wire scams.
According to the United States indictment, the group targeted e-mail accounts of legislators in the European Union (EU) and the UK who were members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), a group established to counter the dangers postured by the Chinese Communist Party to democratic concepts. The targets consisted of every EU member of IPAC, and 43 UK parliamentary accounts, the majority of whom were members of IPAC or had actually been outspoken on individuals’s Republic of China.
China ‘held to account’
Dowden stated the UK would continue to engage with China, however not be reluctant to take “quick and robust” actions anywhere the Chinese federal government threatens the UK’s interest. “This federal government wil