Diplomats' email accounts have been clandestinely accessed and monitored by Chinese authorities for an extended period.
Updated Article:
China accused of long-term cyber espionage on NATO and EU diplomatic communications
NATO and the European Union have expressed serious concern over a suspected Chinese cyberattack on the Czech Republic's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In a joint statement, NATO member states have expressed growing unease over increasing malicious cyber activities originating from the People's Republic of China, vowing to combat them. The EU, in tandem, has declared its readiness to implement additional measures if necessary.
The cyber espionage attack on the Czech Republic's Ministry of Foreign Affairs' communication network reportedly began in 2022, with China potentially gaining access to the emails of Czech diplomats for years, according to local news portal Seznamzpravy.cz. The cyber espionage group APT31, believed to be connected to the Ministry of State Security of the People's Republic of China, is suspected of being behind the attack.
The Czech authorities, including the domestic, foreign, and military intelligence services, and the national authority for cyber and information security, conducted a comprehensive investigation into the matter. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs assured that the compromised communication network was not used for exchanging classified information.
In 2020, the EU imposed sanctions on individuals suspected of being members of the Chinese hacker group APT10, which was allegedly involved in a global operation dubbed "Cloud Hopper."
The EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has condemned the malicious cyber campaign against the Czech Republic on social media, labeling it a flagrant violation of international norms. However, neither the EU nor NATO has announced specific punitive actions against China regarding this incident.
In response to the cyberattack, the Czech government has summoned the Chinese ambassador to discuss the matter, hinting at potential diplomatic repercussions.
- Sources: ntv.de, toh/dpa
- Related Topics: EU, NATO, Czech Republic, China, Hackers
- The European Union and NATO have expressed growing unease and concern over China's suspected cyber espionage activities, particularly the recent attack on the Czech Republic's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which reportedly began in 2022.
- The alleged cyberattack, involving the potential access to the emails of Czech diplomats for years, highlights the intersection of technology, politics, and general-news, as the European Union contemplates implementing additional measures to combat such malicious cyber activities.
