China says US targeted national time systems; risks financial and power networks

China on Sunday accused the US National Security Agency of carrying out cyberattacks on its national time center, saying any damage to related facilities could have disrupted network communications, financial systems, and power supply.The Ministry of State Security claimed in a WeChat post that the agency exploited vulnerabilities in the messaging services of a foreign mobile phone brand to steal sensitive information from devices of the National Time Service Center's staff in 2022, without specifying the brand.It added that the agency used 42 types of “special cyberattack weapons” to target multiple internal network systems at the center and attempted to infiltrate a key timing system between 2023 and 2024. The ministry said it had evidence but did not provide it in the post.The time center is responsible for generating and distributing China’s standard time and providing timing services to industries such as communications, finance, power, transport, and defense. Chinese authorities said they had provided guidance to the center to eliminate the risks. “The US is accusing others of what it does itself, repeatedly hyping up claims about Chinese cyber threats,” the ministry said.In recent years, Western governments have alleged that hackers linked to the Chinese government have targeted officials, journalists, corporations, and others. The ministry’s statement could add to tensions between Washington and Beijing on trade, technology, and Taiwan.The US Embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment.