Key Points
- China has accused the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) of hacking its National Time Service Center.
- The ministry claims the cyberattack has been going on for an extended period.
- The alleged attacks involved stealing data and spying on staff’s mobile devices.
- China warns that a serious breach could have disrupted major national infrastructure.
China has accused the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) of a long-running cyberattack on its National Time Service Center, the agency responsible for maintaining the country’s official time. In a dramatic statement on Sunday, China’s State Security Ministry warned that the alleged hacking could have disrupted everything from communication networks and financial systems to the power grid.
The ministry claims it has found evidence that the NSA has been infiltrating the time center’s systems for years. They allege that the U.S. intelligence agency stole data and credentials as far back as 2022, using them to spy on the staff’s mobile phones and network systems.
The statement specifically mentioned that the NSA had “exploited a vulnerability” in the messaging service of a foreign smartphone brand to gain access to staff devices.
The accusations don’t stop there. The ministry also says the U.S. launched attacks on the center’s internal networks and even attempted to attack its high-precision, ground-based timing system in 2023 and 2024.
This is the latest in a series of escalating accusations of cyber espionage between the two global powers. Each country has been publicly portraying the other as a major cyber threat. The timing of this new, highly specific accusation is notable, as it comes amid a fresh flare-up in the U.S.-China trade war.
