Experts: China’s cyber army is invading critical US services, including in Hawaii

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The Chinese military is increasing its efforts to disrupt key American infrastructure, including power and water utilities, communications, and transportation systems.
• Hackers affiliated with China’s People’s Liberation Army have infiltrated the computer systems of about two dozen critical entities over the past year, including a water utility in Hawaii, a major West Coast port, and at least one oil and gas pipeline.
• The intrusions are part of a broader effort to develop ways to sow panic and chaos or snarl logistics in the event of a U.S.-China conflict in the Pacific.
• The U.S. government has long sought to improve coordination with the private sector and tech companies to detect cyber threats, but the hackers have persisted, seeking new targets.
• The topic of Chinese cyber intrusions into critical infrastructure was on a proposed list of talking points to raise in Biden’s encounter with Xi, but it did not come up in the four-hour meeting.