CISA Director Warns of Serious Cyber Threat from China

China’s Cyber Aggression: A Serious Threat to US Critical Infrastructure

This week, Jen Easterly, Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), blogged that China’s “sophisticated and well-resourced cyber program represents the most serious and significant cyber threat to our nation, and in particular, US critical infrastructure.”

Easterly’s Warning: CISA’s Focus on Countering Disinformation and Protecting Critical Infrastructure

Easterly, who may be replaced soon by the new Trump administration amid complaints by Republicans that her agency has been more focused on countering disinformation than protecting critical infrastructure, wrote that over the past two years, CISA and industry partners have been “laser focused on deterring China’s cyber aggression,” working with critical infrastructure entities across the nation to identify and evict Chinese cyber actors.

She noted that these cyber actors have been focused on espionage, such as the recent ‘Salt Typhoon’ campaign against US telcos, or disruption, including the ‘Volt Typhoon’ campaign designed to disrupt or destroy critical infrastructure.

Evading Detection: PRC Cyber Actors’ Tactics

Easterly added that while PRC cyber actors have attempted to evade detection by using “living off the land methods” – hiding their activity within the native processes of computer operating systems – CISA’s world-class team of threat hunters has detected them and assisted critical infrastructure partners in evicting them.

Conclusion

In conclusion, CISA Director Jen Easterly has sounded the alarm about the serious cyber threat posed by China’s sophisticated and well-resourced cyber program. As the nation’s critical infrastructure continues to face threats from abroad, it is essential that the agency and industry partners remain vigilant and proactive in detecting and disrupting these threats.

FAQs

• What is the most significant cyber threat to the US, according to CISA Director Jen Easterly? China’s “sophisticated and well-resourced cyber program represents the most serious and significant cyber threat to our nation, and in particular, US critical infrastructure.”
• What has CISA and industry partners been focused on over the past two years? Deterring China’s cyber aggression, working with critical infrastructure entities across the nation to identify and evict Chinese cyber actors.
• What are the tactics used by PRC cyber actors to evade detection? “Living off the land methods” – hiding their activity within the native processes of computer operating systems.
• What is CISA’s role in detecting and disrupting cyber threats? CISA’s world-class team of threat hunters detects and assists critical infrastructure partners in evicting PRC cyber actors.