Slandering China won't make cyberspace more secure - Xinhua
XinhuanetJul 20, 2021
Report: Suspected Chinese Hackers Spied on Governments, NGOs, Media
Image copyright: MS Tech/Getty Images [via MIT Technology Review]
The Facts
Cybersecurity company Recorded Future has released a report claiming that Beijing has sponsored a hacking group named RedAlpha, which spied on governments, NGOs, think tanks, and media over the past three years.
The report suggests that RedAlpha – which is alleged to have historically targeted Chinese minorities, including the Tibetan and the Uyghur communities – has carried out spoofing attacks on several organizations allegedly related to Chinese strategic interests.
The Spin
Pro-China narrative
China's model of hiring private contractors to carry out espionage operations is reaching a dangerous trend in the cybersecurity world. As Chinese campaigns have become more aggressive, numerous, and sophisticated, Beijing's control over hackers - who operate like franchises - is collapsing, posing a threat to global cybersecurity.
Anti-China narrative
China fiercely defends cybersecurity, opposing all forms of hacking activities and urging global efforts to improve it. Yet, Western countries continue to carry out a defamation campaign against Beijing, making baseless claims that China is involved in cyber attacks. This Cold War attitude must be rejected and replaced with a cooperative approach to making global cyberspace safer.
Nerd narrative
There's a 27% chance that China will make a successful cyberattack on Taiwanese critical infrastructure before December 31, 2022, according to the Metaculus prediction community.