WASHINGTON: The United States, the UK and New Zealand officials have accused hackers allegedly linked to China of being behind “malicious” cyber campaigns, western media reported on Tuesday.
The New Zealand authorities said it had raised concerns with Beijing about its involvement in a state-sponsored cyber hack on the country’s parliament in 2021, which was exposed by New Zealand’s intelligence services.
The new revelations that information was accessed via malicious cyber activity targeting New Zealand’s parliament come as the UK and the US also accuse Beijing of a widesweeping cyber spy campaign.
NZ, UK, US Accuse China of Cyberattack
New Zealand and Australia have denounced the broader activity. In a statement, New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters said that foreign interference of this kind is not acceptable, and they have asked China to refrain from such actions in future.
Chinese Embassy in New Zealand has rejected the allegations and said termed it groundless accusations. It also expressed its dissatisfaction and firm opposition with New Zealand officials.
US and UK officials alleged Chinese hacking group of targeting political figures and said their aim was to “repress” critics of China.
In London, Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said that the hackers had compromised the UK parliamentary accounts and electoral commission.
Dowden accused that Chinese state linked actors were responsible for two cyber campaigns targeting both their democratic institutions and parliamentarians. He added that attempts to compromise the email accounts of UK MPs were unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, the Treasury Department in the US said it had sanctioned Wuhan Xiaoruizhi Science and Technology Company Ltd. It added Wuhan Xiaoruizhi Science and Technology Company Ltd has served as cover for multiple malicious cyberoperations.
The Chinese Embassy in the US did not immediately comment on the accusations, but the Chinese Embassy termed the UK’s reasoning for the sanctions as “completely untrue and hateful slanders.”
