FBI Director Christopher Wray warned on Wednesday that Chinese hackers outnumber FBI cyber staff 50 to 1 and that the threat from China is “the most serious challenge we face as a country.”
The FBI is requesting about $63 million to help it beef up its cyber staff with 192 new positions, according to a report by CNBC.
Wray spoke at the Aspen Security Forum, where he said that China is “the most active and persistent threat to our economic and national security.” According to FBI intelligence, Chinese hackers are targeting a wide range of American businesses and government agencies and they are stealing intellectual property, trade secrets, and other sensitive information.
“China has a bigger hacking program than every other major nation combined and have stolen more of our personal and corporate data than all other nations—big or small—combined.”
FBI Director Christopher Wray
Wray said that the FBI is working to counter the Chinese threat, but that it is a “very difficult problem.” The FBI needs more resources to fight cybercrime and Congress needs to pass legislation to make it easier for the FBI to investigate and prosecute cybercriminals, according to Wray.
China’s hacking depth and scale are most concerning to the FBI in comparison to other nation-states or state-backed groups. China has “a bigger hacking program than every other major nation combined and has stolen more of our personal and corporate data than all other nations—big or small—combined,” Wray commented.
China’s cyber capabilities on close watch as tensions mount
Wray’s comments come at a time of heightened tensions between the United States and China. The two countries are engaged in a trade war, and they are also competing for influence in the Asia-Pacific region.
Wray’s warning about the Chinese threat is likely to add to the pressure on the Biden administration to take a tougher stance against China. The administration has already imposed tariffs on Chinese goods, and it is considering other measures, such as restrictions on Chinese investment in the United States.
The Chinese government has denied that it is engaged in cyber espionage. However, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests that China is a major player in the global cybercrime landscape.
Kevin Mandia, Mandiant CEO, commented on Bloomberg at the RSA Security Conference 2023 that China’s “cyber innovation and exploitation” has increased the most in the past year since he began tracking the country’s cyber activities (over 10 years).
In 2015, the United States charged five Chinese military officers with hacking into American companies and stealing trade secrets. In 2016, the United States expelled five Chinese diplomats in retaliation for China’s cyber attacks.
The Chinese government has also been accused of using cyberattacks to suppress dissent within its own borders. In 2015, the United States accused China of hacking into the computer systems of Tibetan groups and human rights organizations.
In recent years, ransomware attacks have proliferated out of China targeting Taiwan, the United States, and other allies.
