UK govt informed of Chinese cyberattacks on critical infrastructure: Report

The British government has been informed of a number of Chinese cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure, according to a report.

The report comes at a time when Sir Keir Starmer-led British government is working to make a fresh start with China. The relations between the United Kingdom and China have been strained for years over Chinese actions in Hong Kong and a series of activities in the UK, including cyberattacks on military, election system, parliament, and espionage activities.

Senior British ministers have been informed that Chinese hackers have conducted widespread attacks on critical infrastructure and have probably been successful in compromising supply chains and computer systems key to a range of vital services, according to Bloomberg.

Just last week, M15 chief Ken McCallum warned that UK and allies should expect further testing and in places defeating” of their defenses against cyber threats.

The latest round of attacks were believed to have targeted defence and energy entities, government agencies such as the National Health Service (NHS), and even private high-tech businesses, as per Bloomberg.

There are also concerns regarding personal communication among senior politicians as several attempts have been made to access private data and communication, as per the report.

Starmer govt working on new cybersecurity law: Report

After forming the government on July 4, the Starmer government was briefed on the vulnerabilities of the British infrastructure networks, according to Bloomberg.

It prompted the new government to start working on a new cybersecurity legislation, as per the report.

The Starmer government is working on the ‘Cyber Security and Resilience Bill’ that aims to ensure that the British critical infrastructure is secure, according to the report.

The bill, which the Starmer government looks forward to getting passed next year, will focus on transport, energy, drinking water, health and digital infrastructure along with as online marketplaces, search engines and cloud-computing services, as per the report.

Over the past year, a number of Chinese cyberattacks against British interests have been reported. Last year, Chinese cyberattacks against the election system and MPs were reported. Later, attacks on the armed forces infrastructure were also reported.

China, along with Iran, Russi, and North Korea, has mastered the usage of cyberattacks to attack the adversaries in the West. The countries have formed a bloc to undermine the West and cyberattacks are a medium to achieve that goal. Critical infrastructures, such as power grids, are highly prone to cyberattacks.