U.K. accuses Beijing of cyber-espionage, sanctions Chinese company, 2 individuals

Summary

The UK has accused China of a widespread cyber campaign, targeting MPs, the electoral commission, and millions of voters. In response, the UK has sanctioned two individuals and one entity associated with the Chinese State-Affiliated APT31 group. This move comes concurrently with similar actions by the US, where seven Chinese nationals were sanctioned for hacking millions of voters over 14 years. UK MPs, who have been vocal critics of Beijing, have welcomed the sanctions, urging greater support for Chinese dissidents. The Chinese foreign ministry has refuted the UK's allegations as insufficient and unprofessional.

Takeaways

• 🇬🇧 The United Kingdom has accused China of a prolific global campaign of cyber attacks.
• 🔒 The cyber activities targeted personal information of UK politicians, journalists, academics, and millions of voters.
• 📊 The UK's electoral commission was a significant target, with data of around 40 million voters being at risk.
• 🇺🇸 The US has taken similar action, sanctioning seven Chinese nationals for hacking millions of voters over a 14-year period.
• 🚫 The UK has sanctioned two individuals and one entity associated with the Chinese State-Affiliated APT31 group for their involvement in malicious cyber activity.
• 🗣️ British Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden explained the sanctions in the House of Commons, citing a persistent pattern of hostile behavior from China.
• 👏 Some British MPs, who have been critical of Beijing, welcomed the sanctions and called for greater support for Chinese dissidents.
• 🚨 There's a possibility that the UK may escalate its stance by declaring China a national security threat.
• 💬 The Chinese foreign ministry in Beijing has responded, stating that the UK's allegations are insufficient and lacking professionalism.

Q & A

What is the main accusation the UK has against China?

The UK accuses China of a prolific global campaign of cyber attacks, including targeting MPs, the electoral commission, and gaining a treasure trove of data.

Who are the targets of China's alleged cyber activity according to the UK?

The targets include politicians critical of Beijing, journalists, academics, and millions of voters.

When did the UK's electoral watchdog experience a mass cyber attack?

The UK's electoral watchdog experienced a mass cyber attack in 2021, which targeted data of approximately 40 million voters.

What actions has the UK taken in response to the cyber attacks?

The UK has sanctioned two individuals and one entity associated with the Chinese State-Affiliated APT31 group for their involvement in malicious cyber activity.

How does the UK describe China's behavior in the context of these cyber attacks?

The UK describes China's actions as demonstrating a clear and persistent pattern of behavior that signals hostile intent.

What has been the reaction from British MPs who were critical of Beijing?

British MPs who were openly critical of Beijing have welcomed the sanctions and called for greater support for Chinese dissidents.

What is the stance of the US in relation to this issue?

The US has made a similar move by sanctioning seven Chinese nationals for hacking millions of voters over a 14-year period.

What does Ian Duncan Smith, a British MP, suggest the West should do in response to China?

Ian Duncan Smith suggests that the West should wake up to the threat from China and increase support for Chinese dissidents.

Is there a possibility that the UK will take further actions against China?

There is an indication from the Deputy Prime Minister that the UK could go further and declare China a national security threat.

What has been the response from the Chinese foreign Ministry in Beijing?

The Chinese foreign Ministry in Beijing has said that the allegations by the British are insufficient and lacking professionalism.

Outlines

00:00

🔒 UK Accuses China of Cyber Attacks

The United Kingdom has accused China of a widespread campaign of cyber attacks, targeting the personal information of politicians, journalists, academics, and millions of voters. The UK's electoral commission was also targeted in a 2021 cyber attack. In response, the UK has sanctioned two individuals and one entity associated with the Chinese State-Affiliated APT31 group for their involvement in malicious cyber activities. This move has been welcomed by British MPs who have been critical of Beijing, with some calling for increased support for Chinese dissidents. The Chinese foreign ministry has refuted the UK's allegations as insufficient and unprofessional.

Keywords

💡Cyber activity

Cyber activity refers to actions carried out over the internet, typically involving hacking or unauthorized access to digital systems. In this context, the UK is accusing China of a widespread campaign targeting government officials and electoral data through cyberattacks.

💡Electoral Commission

The UK's Electoral Commission is a public body responsible for overseeing elections and referendums, ensuring their integrity. The commission was the target of a cyberattack in 2021, where personal data of millions of voters was compromised.

💡Spying

Spying, in this case, refers to covert efforts by China to gather sensitive information from UK officials, politicians, and electoral systems. This is part of the broader cyber activities attributed to China's attempts to influence democratic processes.

💡Sanctions

Sanctions are punitive measures taken by one country against another to deter or punish undesirable actions. Here, the UK has imposed sanctions on individuals and entities associated with China's AP 31 group for malicious cyber activities.

💡AP 31 group

The AP 31 group is a Chinese state-affiliated entity involved in cyberattacks targeting officials, government entities, and parliamentarians globally. The UK sanctioned this group for its role in malicious cyber activities.

💡Data breach

A data breach occurs when unauthorized parties access sensitive information. In 2021, a massive breach targeted the UK's Electoral Commission, compromising the personal data of 40 million voters.

💡National security threat

A national security threat refers to actions or entities that endanger a country's safety, economy, or democratic systems. The UK is considering officially labeling China a national security threat due to its alleged cyberattacks and espionage.

💡Chinese dissidents

Chinese dissidents are individuals who oppose the Chinese Communist Party, often facing severe consequences for their activism. UK politicians highlighted the threats dissidents face in the broader discussion about China's interference in global affairs.

💡House of Commons

The House of Commons is the lower house of the UK Parliament where government officials discuss and make legislative decisions. The Deputy Prime Minister explained the sanctions against China in this chamber.

💡Oliver Dowden

Oliver Dowden is the UK's Deputy Prime Minister, who outlined the UK's sanctions against Chinese individuals and groups involved in cyber activities. He played a central role in announcing the UK's response to China's cyberattacks.

Highlights

The UK accuses China of a prolific global campaign of cyber attacks.

China is accused of targeting personal information of politicians, journalists, academics, and millions of voters.

The UK's electoral watchdog was targeted in a mass cyber attack in 2021 affecting 40 million voters.

The UK sanctions two individuals and one entity associated with the Chinese State Affiliated APT31 group for malicious cyber activity.

The UK's Deputy Prime Minister, Oliver Daen, explains the reasons for the sanctions in the House of Commons.

The UK judges China's actions as demonstrating a clear and persistent pattern of behavior signaling hostile intent.

British MPs who were critical of Beijing welcome the sanctions.

MP Ian Duncan Smith calls for the West to wake up to the threat from China and support Chinese dissidents.

The UK may declare China a national security threat, as indicated by the Deputy Prime Minister.

The Chinese foreign ministry in Beijing responds, calling the UK's allegations insufficient and lacking professionalism.

The US sanctions seven Chinese nationals for hacking millions of voters over a 14-year period.

The UK's move against China is part of a coordinated effort with similar actions by the US.

The UK's response to China's cyber activities is seen as a sign of increasing tension between the two countries.

The UK's actions highlight the need for greater support for Chinese dissidents by host governments.

The UK's sanctions are a response to China's alleged attempts to influence elections and democracies.

The UK's Deputy Prime Minister suggests further actions against China could be taken.

The Chinese response indicates a denial of the UK's allegations and a lack of acceptance of the sanctions.

Transcripts

the United Kingdom is also dealing with

strained relations with China this

morning over spying the UK is accusing

China of cyber activity against MPS and

its electoral commission Anna Cunningham

is following this story in London for us

this morning so Anna what can you tell

us about this

accusation well Maran this is the UK

accusing China of what's been described

as a prolific Global campaign of cyber

attacks and really it's been said to be

have been a treasure of data that was uh

gained and targeted the personal

information of politicians those who

were critical at Beijing as well as

journalists and academics and also

millions of Voters now the move of

sanctions actually had been exped for

quite a while because the British

government did in fact confirm last year

that there had been a mass Cyber attack

back in

2021 on the UK's electoral Watchdog that

had targeted the data as some 40 million

voters the British prime minister the de

British Deputy Prime Minister rather is

Oliver daen now he's the man who

explained in the House of Commons

exactly why they were taking these

sanctions

now the United Kingdom judges that these

actions demonstrate a clear and

persistent pattern of behavior that

signal signals hostile intent from China

that is why the United Kingdom has today

day sanctioned two individuals and one

entity associated with the Chinese State

Affiliated AP 31 group for involvement

in malicious cyber activity targeting

officials government entities and

parliamentarians around the world so

Anna what's been the reaction to all of

this well it's been interesting Maran

because we have seen a similar move by

the us at the same time uh over there

seven Chinese Nationals have actually

been sanctioned for hacking millions of

Voters they say over a 14year period but

here in the UK those British MPS who

were really openly critical of Beijing

for a number of years now they have

welcomed the move and uh they people

like Ian Duncan Smith is is one MPS who

who is amongst them he has actually said

that the West now needs to wake up to

the threat from China he's accusing the

country of wanting to influence

elections and

democracies you have been subjected to

harassment impersonation and attempted

hacking from China for some time we take

this opportunity to highlight that

though extremely unwelcome our

discomfort pales in comparison uh to

Chinese dissidents who risk their lives

to oppose the Chinese Communist party uh

it's high time that they received much

greater support from their host

governments now there has been an

indication from the Deputy Prime

Minister that the UK could well go

further and declare China a national

security threat we have heard this

morning a response from the Chinese

foreign Ministry in Beijing and they

have said that the allegations by the

British provided were insufficient and

lacking professionalism Marian thanks

for this update Anna that's Anna

Cunningham in London this morning