State hackers

London blames China for cyber attack

Two people linked to a group known as APT 31 have been sanctioned.

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The British government believes the leadership in Beijing is responsible for two large-scale cyber attacks in the UK. "I can confirm today that actors linked to the Chinese state are responsible for two malicious cyber attacks that targeted both our democratic institutions and parliamentarians, said British Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden in the House of Commons in London on Monday.

It is a persistent pattern of behavior that demonstrates hostile behavior by China. Two individuals associated with a group known as APT 31 had been sanctioned, Dowden said. It was almost certain that the group linked to the Chinese state had carried out espionage activities targeting British parliamentarians in 2021. However, these had been completely blocked.

In addition, the British Electoral Commission was the target of a complex cyberattack in 2021 and 2022. This attack also failed. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had previously spoken of an "epochal challenge" with regard to China.

China rejects accusations
The Chinese government rejected the accusations. China itself is a major victim of cyberattacks, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian in Beijing on Monday. The origin of cyberattacks is complex and sensitive.

When investigating them, there should be sufficient objective evidence, instead of maligning other countries without a factual basis. China hopes that all parties will stop spreading false information, Lin said.