Diplomats' emails have been clandestinely accessed by Chinese authorities for an extended period.
NATO and EU Voice Concerns Over Alleged Chinese Hack of Czech Diplomatic Emails
Brussels is abuzz with concern and outrage as suspicions rise that China may have been spying on the diplomatic communications of a NATO and EU member state for years. Both international bodies have vowed to address the escalating malicious cyber activities traced back to the People's Republic of China.
In a joint statement, the 32 NATO nations expressed their growing unease over the increasing cyber threats emanating from China and reaffirmed their commitment to counteract them. Simultaneously, the EU announced it is prepared to take more stringent measures should the need arise, having imposed sanctions in the past for similar transgressions.
The alleged cyber espionage against the Czech Republic's Foreign Ministry is said to have originated in 2022, according to official disclosures. Reports from local news outlet Seznamzpravy.cz suggest that the Chinese cyberespionage group APT31, believed to be a branch of the People's Republic of China's Ministry of State Security, is likely the perpetrator.
The comprehensive investigation into the breach was jointly conducted by the Czech domestic, foreign, and military intelligence services, as well as the national authority for cyber and information security. The investigation revealed that although the infiltrated network did not involve the exchange of classified information, it exposed internal communications related to the diplomatic operations of the Czech Republic.
The EU levied sanctions on Chinese hackers for the first time in 2020, targeting suspected members of the Chinese hacker group APT10, which was allegedly involved in a global operation dubbed "Cloud Hopper."
EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas took to social media to address the issue, stating, "Today, the EU holds a Chinese state-supported actor accountable for a malicious cyber campaign against the Czech Republic." Kallas went on to call this violation of international norms "clear and unacceptable."
As the investigation continues, experts warn that the Czech incident is not an isolated case but part of a broader pattern of cyber espionage campaigns attributed to China, which have consistently targeted diplomatic and critical infrastructure communications across NATO and EU countries. These actions have prompted international condemnation and calls for China to adhere to international law and norms regarding cyber activities.
- The European Union (EU) has a pressing concern about China's cybersecurity practices, given reports of a possible hack on the diplomatic emails of a NATO and EU member state.
- As the alleged cyberespionage against the Czech Republic's Foreign Ministry is traced back to the Chinese cyberespionage group APT31, the EU is prepared to impose stricter technology-related measures, if necessary.
- In response to the breach, politics and crime-and-justice experts warn that this incident is part of a broader pattern of Chinese cyber-attacks, targeting diplomatic communications and critical infrastructure across NATO and EU countries, calling for China to abide by international law and norms regarding cyber activities.
