Beijing alleges “irrefutable evidence” linking US to major cyberattack on Chinese agency

China claims it now possesses “irrefutable evidence” of the US involvement in a cyberattack on its national time center.

According to China's State Security Ministry (MSS), the National Security Agency (NSA) had “exploited a vulnerability” in the messaging service of some of the National Time Service Center (NTSC) employees’ mobile devices to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information since 2022. The exact brand of the smartphones was not clarified, although it’s a “foreign” brand.

The NTSC is China’s primary institution for generating and distributing China’s national standard time, known as "Beijing Time". It is also an important facility that provides high-precision service for Chinese agencies, industries, and its government.

The ministry claims that the NSA, which is a US intelligence agency, had used stolen login credentials since 2023 to hack the center’s computers.

The investigation claims to have additionally found that the US carried out attacks on the center’s internal network systems using 42 types of “special cyberattack weapons” and attempted to breach its key timing system in 2023 and 2024, according to Reuters and AP.

China’s authorities say that worldwide private servers had been used to conceal the source of the attacks, based on internal investigations.

China has reportedly taken measures to protect its time center against the hacks.

The development comes as Western agencies and governments repeatedly blame China for cyberattacks and system infiltrations.

Additionally, tensions are running high amid the latest trade tensions between the countries, with the US threatening to further raise its tariffs on Chinese goods. Analysts warn that such a move will have far-reaching consequences for hardware prices, product availability, various IT services, and vendors.