Following announcements by the US Department of Justice and Malaysian law enforcement today (Wednesday 16 September) of criminal charges against Chinese nationals and arrests of Malaysian nationals relating to malicious cyber attacks, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said:
Today we have another example of the Chinese using malicious cyber activity for criminal ends. We condemn the attempted attacks against governments and businesses. This kind of opportunistic and reckless behaviour in cyberspace is wholly unacceptable.
The UK will continue to counter those conducting such cyber attacks, and work with our allies to hold perpetrators to account.
Background
- the criminal charges indicate that Chinese linked actors are targeting super computers, communications companies and systems that allow home working, in countries around the world
- the Foreign Secretary raised concern over evidence that China is engaged in malicious cyber attacks against commercial, medical and academic institutions on 22 July 2020
- the UK announced on 20 December 2018 that actors on behalf of the Chinese Ministry of State Security carried out a malicious cyber campaign targeting intellectual property and sensitive commercial data in Europe, Asia and the US
- the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has produced practical advice for individuals and organisations on protecting against the threats outlined in the indictment, including:
- mitigating malware and ransomware attacks
- phishing attacks: defending your organisation
- multi-factor authentication for online services
- setting up two-factor authentication (2FA)
- supply chain security guidance
- introduction to logging for security purposes
- 10 steps to cyber security
- preventing lateral movement
- End User Device (EUD) security guidance
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