US House Committee Warns China-Linked Cyber-Espionage Targeting Trade, Diplomacy

U.S. officials have highlighted a surge in sophisticated Chinese cyber-espionage activities targeting American government agencies, trade policy stakeholders, and critical infrastructure. Groups such as Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon have adopted stealthier tactics, utilizing legitimate system tools to maintain persistent access and evade detection, complicating traditional FBI threat-hunting methods. The House Select Committee on China reported recent cyberattacks where hackers impersonated SCCCP Chairman John Moolenaar to infiltrate trusted contacts during sensitive U.S.-China trade negotiations, leveraging cloud services to mask their activities. These campaigns underscore China's strategic intent to steal American trade and diplomatic strategies, while also threatening global telecommunications and critical infrastructure. Beyond cyberattacks, the U.S. faces risks from Chinese-made security products embedded in homes and businesses, which can facilitate surveillance and data exfiltration, raising significant national security concerns. Additionally, U.S. and Canadian intelligence agencies have warned that international tech startup competitions are being exploited by Chinese state-affiliated actors to covertly acquire advanced technology and talent, representing a multifaceted threat to economic and military advantage.