FBI chief says Chinese have infiltrated critical US infrastructure
Chinese government-linked hackers have burrowed into US critical infrastructure and are waiting “for just the right moment to deal a devastating blow”, the director of the FBI, Christopher Wray, has warned.
An ongoing Chinese hacking campaign known as #Volt#Typhoon has successfully gained access to numerous American companies in telecommunications, energy, water and other critical sectors, with 23 pipeline operators targeted, Wray said.
China is developing the “ability to physically wreak havoc on our #critical#infrastructure at a time of its choosing”, Wray said at the 2024 Vanderbilt summit on modern conflict and emerging threats.
He added: “Its plan is to land low blows against civilian infrastructure to try to induce #panic.”
Wray said it was difficult to determine the intent of this cyber pre-positioning, which was aligned with China’s broader intent to deter the US from defending Taiwan.
China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan strongly objects to China’s sovereignty claims and says only the island’s people can decide their future.
Earlier this week, a Chinese ministry of foreign affairs (MFA) spokesperson said Volt Typhoon was in fact unrelated to China’s government, but was part of a criminal #ransomware group. #VoltTyphoon#hacking
"In a briefing past 5 am on Monday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (#PAGASA) said #TyphoonJenny already has maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour, from 110 km/h on Sunday evening, October 1." #Philippines#BadWeather
Typhoon Saola swept across southern China on Saturday, tearing down trees and smashing windows in Hong Kong, although the megacity avoided a feared direct hit from one of the region's strongest storms in decades.
Latest forecasts are predicting that the typhoon will weaken slightly as it grazes the coast of Guangdong province, but a direct landfall is still possible. Flooding rains very likely.
LISTAHAN NG #WalangPasok (as of Thursday, August 31) Nagsuspinde ng klase sa paaralan ang sumusunod na mga lugar dahil sa masamang panahon at pagbahang dala ng Bagyong Goring at Habagat:
LAHAT NG ANTAS
City of Manila (public at private) - Huwebes, Agosto 31
Quezon City (public at private) - Huwebes, Agosto 31
Malabon City (public at private) - Huwebes, Agosto 31
Marikina City (public at private) - Huwebes, Agosto 31 LAHAT NG ANTAS