Bill Drexel, an associate fellow in the Technology and National Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), has called on the U.S. government to raise public awareness about potential cyberattacks from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and how to counter such threats. In a recent interview with Federal Newswire, Drexel pointed out that FBI Director Christopher Wray had testified in a Congressional hearing that Chinese-backed "cyber threat actors" significantly outnumber FBI cyber personnel. This disparity, according to Drexel, highlights a severe resource issue.
"Among the largest inhibitors to effectively mitigating Chinese cyber-attacks is the public's appreciation of the problem," said Drexel. "Rep. Gallagher hit the nail on the head when he noted that some of China's activities are 'the cyberspace equivalent of placing bombs on American bridges, water treatment facilities, and power plants,' but it remains very difficult to impress on the public the magnitude of the threat posed by the CCP's cyberattacks, particularly when many of the most important defenses to such attacks seem so mundane, like modernizing routers in homes and small businesses. Nonetheless, the effects of a successful Chinese cyber-attack on critical infrastructure could be momentous. Making the issue—and remedies—tangible to the general public remains a high priority."
During the hearing titled "The CCP Cyber Threats to the American Homeland and National Security," Wray elaborated on the FBI's ongoing efforts to identify and disrupt cyber actors from the People's Republic of China (PRC). According to his testimony, "In recent years, PRC actors have become increasingly stealthy and sophisticated, making our ability to detect and disrupt them even more difficult." Wray went on to say that these "intrusions" affect U.S. entities of all sizes, ranging from critical infrastructure and major corporations to schools, small businesses, and local governments.
Wray also warned that the U.S. Intelligence Community (USIC) has determined that the Chinese government is attempting to establish back doors into critical U.S. infrastructure. These could be exploited if China were to invade Taiwan, potentially allowing China to disable crucial U.S. systems and limit aid provided by the U.S. to Taiwan. "We have observed the CCP target multiple critical infrastructure entities, attacks which could potentially jeopardize the physical safety of Americans," Wray stated during his testimony. He added that any reduction in the FBI's budget would hamper its ability to combat Chinese threats to U.S. national security.
U.S. Representative Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), chair of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the U.S. and CCP, echoed these concerns during his opening remarks at the hearing. According to Gallagher, Chinese cyber actors are no longer merely gathering information on U.S. businesses and individuals or stealing intellectual property. Instead, they are now striving to gain the capability to destroy critical U.S. infrastructure. "Chinese hackers have put malware in water utilities, oil and gas pipelines, power grids, and other utilities in our westernmost territories and across the American homeland," Gallagher warned. He then painted a chilling picture of the potential damage: "Just imagine the damage the CCP could inflict during a Taiwan invasion if with a flick of a button, they could close ports, turn off the power, and cripple pipelines throughout the United States, while cutting our military off from desperately needed fuel?"
Drexel's research at CNAS primarily focuses on technology competition and the risks posed by artificial intelligence in national security. Prior to joining CNAS, Drexel served as an internal displacement data officer at UN Migration and as a research associate at the American Enterprise Institute. His analysis has been featured in various publications including The Wall Street Journal and Foreign Affairs.
