FBI Director Christopher Wray, testifying before the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, has issued a stern warning about the threat posed by Chinese hackers to the United States. Wray’s testimony, titled “The Chinese Community Party Cyber Threat to the American Homeland and National Security,” emphasized the imminent danger to critical American infrastructure.
Wray highlighted that hackers from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) are actively targeting vital U.S. infrastructure, including water treatment plants, the electrical grid, oil and natural gas pipelines, and transportation systems. This, he stressed, poses a substantial risk to every American and necessitates immediate attention.
According to Wray, these hackers are not only positioning themselves against American infrastructure but are preparing to cause significant disruption and real-world harm to American citizens and communities, should China decide to act.
In his testimony, Wray also underscored that on a daily basis, Chinese hackers are attacking the U.S.’s economic security, engaging in widespread theft of innovation, and infringing on personal and corporate data. These actions, he pointed out, also target American freedoms, extending their reach within the U.S. borders to silence, coerce, and threaten citizens and residents.
In a previous testimony, Wray had revealed that Chinese hackers significantly outnumber FBI cyber personnel, estimating the ratio to be at least 50 to 1. He emphasized the magnitude of China’s hacking program, stating that it surpasses that of all other major nations combined and has resulted in the theft of more personal and corporate data from the U.S. than any other nation.
This testimony highlights the ongoing cyber threats posed by China to the United States, underscoring the urgency of addressing these challenges to safeguard American citizens and the nation’s infrastructure.