British anger at China’s cyber attacks

– International news – Tasnim News Agency According to “Noye Zurich Zeitung” newspaper, the British government responded to the hacker attacks on the Election Commission and some members of the House of Commons. It punishes Chinese actors.

In England, the Electoral Commission is a kind of referee for democratic competition. This independent and politically neutral body monitors, for example, that party financing regulations are followed and issues general election rules. Alarm bells were raised in the UK when it emerged last summer that the Electoral Commission had been the victim of a massive cyber attack.

The commission announced that malicious actors would access voter registration copies in 2021. and internal e-mails were accessed and control systems were penetrated. The agency assured that the attack had no impact on the election or voter registration. But the attackers stole the names and addresses of all Britons who registered as voters between 2014 and 2022.

On Monday, the British government accused China of being involved in the attack on the Electoral Commission.

Deputy Prime Minister of England Oliver Dowden told the House of Commons that the investigation by the British security forces showed that the perpetrators of the attack were linked to Beijing. The United States subsequently made similar accusations, indicating that the West is generally increasing its rhetoric against China’s influence efforts. According to Dowden, China is also behind the failed espionage attacks. There are at least three members of the British House of Commons. According to him, the hacker group APT31, which is affiliated with the Chinese government, is responsible for this. Among those who have received the relevant emails are former Tory leader Ian Duncan Smith, former Tory minister Tim Laughton and Stuart MacDonald of the Scottish National Party (SNP). All three are members of a parliamentary group that has repeatedly criticized China’s activities in the former British colony of Hong Kong and Xinjiang province.

Dowden stressed that attacks on British democracy had ultimately failed, but Taken together, Beijing’s activities represent a clear and sustained pattern of hostile behavior.

The British government also sanctioned two individuals and a leading company linking London to cyber attacks and the APT31 hacking group.

In the UK, reports of Chinese espionage and infiltration efforts have increased in recent years.

Ken McCallum, head of the domestic intelligence service MI5, called China “the biggest fundamental strategic challenge”. Described for the UK in 2022. In the summer of 2023, the House of Commons Intelligence and Security Committee reported in a report that China had specifically and aggressively targeted the UK.

Finally, Beijing is apparently trying to influence parliamentary political processes in the West. Minster to influence. Last year, a 28-year-old British House of Commons research assistant was arrested on charges of breaching secrets and espionage. It is possible that he served as a spy for China. However, London’s strong rhetoric and the imposition of sanctions are a warning and a request to Beijing to moderate its cyber activities. >

However, the spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry spoke of “baseless accusations” and that is why there is a risk of a diplomatic upset. However, the British sanctions do not seem very severe. Therefore, China critics within the Conservative Party called on the government to follow up its harsh words with more decisive action.

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