China accuses U.S. NSA of cyberattacks during Asian Winter Games

China has accused the United States National Security Agency (NSA) of conducting "advanced" cyberattacks during the Asian Winter Games in February, targeting key industries in the northeastern city of Harbin.

According to a report by state news agency Xinhua on Tuesday, three alleged NSA agents were placed on a wanted list, and investigations also implicated the University of California and Virginia Tech.

The three individuals identified by Xinhua as NSA agents were named Katheryn A. Wilson, Robert J. Snelling, and Stephen W. Johnson. The agents were reportedly involved in multiple cyberattacks on China’s critical information infrastructure, including attacks on major Chinese enterprises like Huawei.

Xinhua’s report did not specify the exact role of the two U.S. universities in the cyberattacks. The U.S. Embassy in China has yet to respond to a request for comment.

China’s foreign ministry confirmed the allegations, urging the U.S. to adopt a responsible stance on cybersecurity and cease "unprovoked smears and attacks on China." Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian highlighted the need for both countries to engage constructively on cybersecurity issues.

According to Xinhua, the cyberattacks targeted crucial sectors, including energy, transportation, water conservancy, communications, and defense institutions in Heilongjiang province. The aim was said to be to disrupt China’s information infrastructure, cause social instability, and steal sensitive data.

Xinhua’s report stated that these operations took place during the Winter Games and involved the activation of pre-installed backdoors in Microsoft Windows operating systems on devices in Heilongjiang. The NSA reportedly used anonymous servers rented in Europe and Asia to cover its tracks. These cyberattacks peaked during the first ice hockey game on February 3 and targeted sensitive registration data about athletes and event personnel.

The NSA’s alleged cyber activities come amid growing tensions between the U.S. and China, which have already seen a trade war escalate with travel warnings for Chinese tourists to the U.S. and bans on U.S. films in China.

The U.S. has routinely accused Chinese-backed hackers of targeting its critical infrastructure, with recent indictments against Chinese hackers who targeted U.S. defense and diplomatic agencies. However, China has consistently denied any involvement in cyber espionage or attacks against foreign nations.

The ongoing cyber tensions are part of a broader geopolitical struggle between the world’s two largest economies, which have exchanged accusations of industrial espionage and cyberattacks in recent years. In December 2023, China claimed to have thwarted two U.S. cyberattacks aimed at stealing trade secrets from Chinese tech firms, though the agency responsible for these actions was not named.

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