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CISA: China’s Cyber Threats Remain a Top Concern for U.S. Security

This week, Jen Easterly, the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), communicated in a blog post that China’s advanced and well-funded cyber capabilities pose the most severe threat to the United States, particularly targeting essential infrastructure.

Amid speculation that her position may soon be reassigned with the incoming Trump administration, Easterly has faced criticism from Republican leaders regarding the agency’s focus. They argue that CISA has prioritized countering misinformation at the expense of protecting critical infrastructure. In her statement, she emphasized that for the past two years, CISA, alongside industry associates, has been intensely dedicated to mitigating China’s cyber threats. This effort has included collaboration with crucial infrastructure entities nationwide to identify and remove Chinese cyber operatives, whether they are engaged in espionage—illustrated by the recent ‘Salt Typhoon’ campaign targeting U.S. telecommunications—or aiming for disruption through initiatives like the ‘Volt Typhoon’ attacks on sensitive infrastructure.

Easterly noted, “Although PRC cyber actors have sought to conceal their operations by employing ‘living off the land’ techniques—masking their actions within the standard processes of computer operating systems—our elite team of threat hunters has successfully detected these activities and aided critical infrastructure partners in their removal.”

This focus on cybersecurity highlights the ongoing urgency for the U.S. to bolster defenses against sophisticated foreign cyber actors, underscoring the critical intersection of national security and technology in contemporary governance.

Source
www.csoonline.com