PLA-backed hackers infiltrated USA’s water, power and communication entities: Report

US cyber experts and government officials have warned that Chinese hackers have deeply infiltrated the country’s critical infrastructure, including water, power, communication and transport entities.

As per a report published in the Washington Post, these hackers are directly linked with China’s People's Liberation Army (PLA).

The aim of this expansive Chinese intrusion is clear: To limit the USA’s ability to play a larger role in Asian conflicts, especially in a potential Chinese attack on Taiwan and to cause chaos within the US and stir instability in the country.

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Hawaii: A special target

The Post reported that a Hawaiian water utility was amongst the various entities targeted by the Chinese hackers.

Hawaii is where the US stations its troops and warships meant for patrolling the Indo-Pacific area. The island also serves as the headquarters of the US Indo-Pacific Command.

By interfering with Hawaii’s critical infrastructure, China likely wants to jeopardise the USA’s ability to intervene in a conflict involving Taiwan.

“This is stuff they pretty clearly see as relevant to a Taiwan scenario,” Joe McReynolds, a China security studies fellow at the Jamestown Foundation, was quoted as saying by The Post.

Dangerous designs

According to Chinese military officials, the PLA plans to coincide their cyber attacks on enemy targets with aerial strikes using the air force.

Hackers would target satellite networks, along with military logistics systems, of the enemy while airstrikes will reduce their military equipment to ashes.

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“If Beijing feared that a major conflict with the United States was imminent, it almost certainly would consider undertaking aggressive cyber operations against US homeland critical infrastructure and military assets worldwide,” the Office of the Director of National Intelligence was quoted as saying.

'Win a war without fighting'

The sophisticated cyber attack regime aims to provide China with the ability to win a war without even fighting it.

“It is very clear that Chinese attempts to compromise critical infrastructure are in part to pre-position themselves to be able to disrupt or destroy that critical infrastructure in the event of a conflict," said Brandon Wales, executive director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

In August, Chinese hackers tried to infiltrate the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which operates the state’s electrical grid, demonstrating their will to target civilian infrastructure in the event of a conflict.

(With inputs from agencies)