FBI Director Christopher Wray has issued a stark warning regarding China’s cyber capabilities and intentions. He claims that Chinese hackers are actively targeting U.S. critical infrastructure with the clear goal of causing real-world harm to American citizens.
Speaking before Congress, Wray detailed the extensive nature of the Chinese hacking program, stating it is larger than that of every other major nation combined. These hackers are not simply after intellectual property or espionage, he warned; they are actively pre-positioning themselves within critical systems, ready to launch destructive attacks.
The scope of the targeted infrastructure is broad, encompassing everything from water treatment plants and power grids to telecommunications networks and transportation systems. The intent, according to Wray, is to disrupt essential services and sow chaos in the event of a geopolitical conflict.
Wray emphasized the urgency of the situation and called for increased vigilance and collaboration between the public and private sectors to defend against these threats. He urged companies to strengthen their cybersecurity defenses, report suspicious activity, and share threat intelligence with the government. The FBI is actively working with its partners to identify and disrupt these hacking operations, but Wray made it clear that a collective effort is necessary to effectively protect U.S. infrastructure. The threat is real, persistent, and poses a significant risk to national security and public safety. The U.S. must act decisively to defend against these cyberattacks.
