The Chinese embassy in New Zealand has rejected US accusations about the operation that breached the networks of major global telecommunications providers. Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER
The Chinese Embassy has condemned accusations about a cyber attack as "unfounded and irresponsible smears and slanders".
The National Cyber Security Centre put out an advisory last week alongside US and other authorities about an operation called Salt Typhoon, that breached the networks of major global telecommunications providers, which they blamed on China-affiliated hackers.
US authorities who had investigated it for months said hackers accessed phone conversations and texts, and swept up masses of metadata from Americans.
But the Chinese embassy in New Zealand rejected this and criticised the US.
"We urge the relevant countries to immediately cease their global cyberattacks and stop using cybersecurity issues as a pretext to smear China," it said in a statement to RNZ on Saturday.
Expert research in China showed the US had been using advanced methods "frame" other nations for launching cyberattacks.
This included "inserting foreign-language strings, including Chinese, to distort traceability analysis and mislead attribution," it said.
The US was even targeting the leaders of its allies, including by leveraging its strategic position in global submarine fiber-optic networks.
"It is noteworthy that Guam, which the US claimed to be the victim of 'Volt Typhoon' cyberattacks, is actually the headquarters of a large number of cyberattacks against China and many Southeast Asian countries launched by the US," said an earlier official statement.
It referred to a report in October by China's National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center, National Engineering Laboratory for Computer Virus Prevention Technology, and 360 Digital Security Group, that said the US was "hyping" up warnings about the "typhoon" hacking operations.
"The US is using its advantages on undersea cables to launch massive, systemic cyber surveillance and espionage globally," it added.
"Ironically, the US rallied some of its allies to issue a joint statement on the occasion of this year's UN General Assembly, claiming to safeguard the security and resilience of undersea cables."
That statement in September, endorsed by New Zealand, listed a range of measures including taking into account "undue influence by a third country on suppliers and service providers" of cables.
The Chinese embassy said it had "taken note that relevant institutions from New Zealand, the United States, and a few other countries issued the so-called joint guidance about enhanced visibility and hardening for communications infrastructure".
China had consistently fought cyber attacks in accordance with the law and promoted international efforts to stop the undermining of other countries' critical infrastructure, or the stealing of sensitive data or jeopardising national security, it said.
"We call on all nations to engage in dialogue and cooperation, to collectively address cybersecurity threats, based on mutual respect, equality, and shared benefit."
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