FBI accuses China of cyber-attack on US infrastructure at Munich conference

Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Christopher Wray, has accused China of planting malicious software into computer networks in an attempt to compromise vital United States infrastructure, First Post reported.

He said, "The threat is now at a scale greater than we'd seen before."

He further added that the organisation is "laser-focused" on thwarting China's threat, which has the potential to jeopardise national security in the US.

While attending the Munich Security Conference, where officials gathered to discuss ideas relating to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, Wray stated, "We're laser-focused on this as a real threat, and we're working with a lot of partners to try to identify, anticipate, and disrupt it.

"I understand what we're up against with sobriety and clarity. We'll need to constantly be kind of quick on our feet," he continued.

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China firmly opposes and takes legal action against all forms of cyber-attacks, adding that it is the US Cyber Force Command that has openly declared that the critical infrastructure of other countries is a legitimate target for US cyberattacks. 

She said, "It is extremely irresponsible and is a complete distortion of facts."

On Monday, Mao also said that since last year, China's cybersecurity agencies have released reports revealing the US government's long-running cyber-attacks against Beijing's critical infrastructure.

According to a security report by 360 Security Group, the National Security Agency (NSA) has been conducting covert hacking operations against top Chinese companies for more than ten years, and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has been actively involved in espionage and intelligence theft.