Czech Republic Accuses China of 'Malicious Cyber Campaign' Against Its Foreign Ministry

The Czech Republic has accused China of being "responsible" for cyberattacks against a communication network of its Foreign Ministry, officials said on Wednesday.

According to the Foreign Ministry in Prague, the malicious activities started in 2022 and targeted the country's critical infrastructure. The ministry believes that the Advanced Persistent Threat 31, or APT31, hacking group, which is associated with the Chinese Ministry of State Security, was behind the campaign.

It was not immediately clear what specific information were seized or what damage was caused by the attacks. However, officials said that a new communication system has already been put in place to prevent future breaches.

A Condemnation from the Czech Government

"The government of the Czech Republic strongly condemns this malicious cyber campaign against its critical infrastructure," Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský said in a separate statement. "Such behavior undermines the credibility of the People's Republic of China and contradicts its public declarations."

A Response from China

The Chinese Embassy dismissed the Czech accusations as "groundless" and stated that China fights "all forms of cyber attacks and does not support, promote or tolerate hacker attacks."

"APT31 has also stolen trade secrets and intellectual property, and targeted entities in some of America's most vital critical infrastructure sectors, including the Defense Industrial Base, information technology, and energy sectors," said the U.S. Embassy in Prague in a statement.

A Response from NATO and the European Union

NATO and the European Union also condemned the attack and expressed solidarity with the Czechs.

"We observe with increasing concern the growing pattern of malicious cyber activities stemming from the People's Republic of China," said NATO. "This attack is an unacceptable breach of international norms."

A Comparison to a Past Attack

In 2017, a separate cyberattack was launched against the email account of then Czech Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek and the accounts of dozens of ministry officials. Officials said the attack was sophisticated, and experts believed it was done by a foreign state, which was not named then.

Conclusion

The cyberattack on the Czech Republic's Foreign Ministry highlights the growing concern over cyber threats from China. As international relations continue to evolve, it is essential for nations to work together to address these threats and promote global security.

This article was contributed to by Sam McNeil from Paris.