Hacking attempts and massive data breaches are on the rise around the world. Recently, international cyber agencies on Thursday urged organizations to better defend against covert networks used by China-linked hackers to hide malicious cyber activity, according to Britain’s National Cyber ​​Security Centre.
The NCSC published the new guidance with industry and 15 international partners from eight other countries: the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Spain.
Covert networks, which are typically described by the NCSC as everyday Internet-connected devices such as home routers and smart devices, are used globally to target critical areas, steal sensitive data, and maintain persistent access.
“In recent years, we have seen a deliberate shift in China-based cyber groups using these networks to hide their malicious activity in an effort to avoid accountability,” Paul Chichester, NCSC director of operations, said in a statement.
The new guidance, issued jointly with agencies including the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, warns that attacks may be harder to detect because evidence can quickly disappear, complicating efforts to disrupt such activity.
The advice comes a day after NCSC chief Richard Horne warned the UK to prepare for an increase in cyber attacks, either directly or indirectly, from nation states including China, Iran and Russia.
He said his agency continues to handle an average of four nationally significant cyber incidents a week and that the attacks with the highest impact are those involving governments rather than lone criminal gangs.
Britain has also called on major AI companies to work with the government to build AI-powered cyber-defense capabilities to protect critical national infrastructure.
Whereas the Chinese Foreign Ministry has not yet given any immediate reaction on this matter.
