The Biden administration recently acknowledged a chilling reality: Chinese hackers have the ability to disable key U.S. infrastructure, including our power grid and ports. This is not just the work of amateur cybercriminals, but highly skilled, state-backed operatives whose tactics are becoming more sophisticated with each attack. For over a year, national security adviser Jake Sullivan has been aware of the growing threat posed by Chinese cyber actors, and in the fall of 2023, he privately briefed top executives from the telecommunications and tech industries to seek their help in defending critical American infrastructure.
Since then, the threat has only intensified. Reports show that at least nine major U.S. telecom companies have been hacked, with the attackers using advanced techniques that make it nearly impossible to fully assess the scale of their operations. Anne Neuberger, the deputy national security adviser for cybersecurity, confirmed the disturbing level of precision in these attacks, saying, “They were very careful about their techniques.”
These cyberattacks are no longer the work of “keyboard warriors” but of highly trained “soldiers” who operate with extraordinary stealth and precision. Experts like Gordon Chang warn that China’s goal is to cripple America’s infrastructure, potentially reducing the country to a pre-industrial state where essential services grind to a halt. “They’re going to take down our grid,” Chang said, emphasizing the vulnerability of our entire system.
Former Department of Homeland Security expert Brandon Wales also highlighted the centrality of cyber warfare in any future conflict with China, noting that it is the “key battlefield” in modern geopolitics. Sullivan himself admitted that while the U.S. has made strides in cybersecurity, there are still significant vulnerabilities, particularly in sectors lacking mandatory protections.
Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan, a Republican, has expressed alarm over the U.S.’s unpreparedness, calling the situation “breathtaking” in its scope. He added that the U.S. is shockingly exposed to foreign cyber threats, and without decisive action, this vulnerability will only grow.
In response to these claims, the Chinese embassy in Washington dismissed the warnings as U.S. propaganda, accusing the American government of hypocrisy by engaging in its own cyber activities. Despite these protests, the reality remains clear: China’s cyber capabilities represent a severe and growing threat to U.S. security, one that requires immediate and robust action to protect our nation from potential disaster.