The new report from Sentinellabs indicates the lack of evidence in China’s statements about hacker attacks and espionage from the West. Beijing has been attempting to maintain narratives about US cyber attacks for two years, but has failed to provide the necessary technical evidence.
The Chinese media strategy, which aims to spread statements about American hacker operations, was launched after the United States, Great Britain, and the European Union accused China of “irresponsible behavior in cyberspace” in July 2021.
However, since then, China has been unable to substantiate its accusations, relying only on outdated American intelligence documents. China has completely abandoned attempts at technical validation and now limits itself to publishing unfounded accusations through state media.
The Sentinellabs report reveals that certain Chinese intelligence companies coordinate the release of their reports with state agencies and the media to amplify their impact. In contrast, Western cybersecurity agencies and companies always support their claims of Chinese espionage with technical details.
According to the Sentinellabs report, China’s actions in the field of cybersecurity are more akin to propaganda aimed at portraying the United States as a “hacking empire”. While this may resonate with the domestic audience, it lacks confirmation in the international arena.
For instance, in 2022, the Chinese Communist Party mentioned the US National Security Agency in connection with hacker tools or operations 24 times, relying on outdated materials without new technical analysis.
In 2023, China has made new unfounded accusations against the United States, unrelated to previous American intelligence leaks. In a series of publications, the Global Times and the Director General of Chinese anti-virus company Antiy claimed that the US was hacked through seismic sensors of the Monitoring Center for Earthquakes in the city of Wuan, based on reports that appear to not exist.
Sentinellabs experts emphasize that China’s approach of making baseless accusations against foreign hackers, without providing necessary corroborating evidence, may seem ridiculous. However, it serves Beijing’s interests by shaping global public opinion about the United States.