State-sponsored Hacking: Conflict on the Web

The United States and China have found novel methods of conflict (Wikimedia Commons).

The United States and Britain imposed sanctions on the Chinese-based hacking group Advanced Persistent Threat 31 (APT-31) in March of 2024, according to Reuters. As technology becomes more advanced, cyberwarfare has grabbed the attention of the international stage in recent years.

Today’s globalized world relies increasingly on the World Wide Web. If a country loses access to the Internet, the consequences would be catastrophic. The United States is increasingly vulnerable to such attacks, and its adversaries have taken notice.

The Chinese Ministry of State Security allegedly sponsors the hacking group APT-31. According to Reuters, APT-31 conducted a large cyberespionage campaign that prompted U.S. officials to condemn China. The Guardian states that APT-31 accessed information on U.K. voters, too. Another group struck U.S. internet providers like AT&T and Verizon, CNN reports. Chinese hackers can gain a strategic advantage challenging U.S. hegemony in Asia through cyberattacks. To this end, according to Politico, the Chinese group Volt Typhoon has targeted federal agencies and infrastructure companies. Experts worry that in the event of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, hackers could severely impede the response of U.S. military assets in the Indo-Pacific. 

Politico reports that the FBI has attempted to strengthen the cybersecurity of the United States, but hacker groups have remained persistent. In fact, the FBI has already issued a most-wanted warning on five identified hackers associated with the group Double Dragon, charging them with identity theft, money laundering, and fraud. 

States must recognize the importance of online security. The security of a nation resides in its technological capabilities. Cyberwarfare is here to stay and it is the future of warfare.