Czech Republic officials revealed on Wednesday (May 28th) that China has launched a “malicious cyber operation” targeting Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ network system used for non-confidential communication. In response, the Czech Republic summoned the Chinese Ambassador to lodge a protest.
As a member of the European Union and NATO, the Czech government stated that this cyber attack originated from APT31, a hacker group associated with Chinese state security, and has been ongoing since 2022.
According to analysis by Google Cloud, APT31’s goal is to gather sensitive information on politics, economics, and military matters for the Chinese regime and state-owned enterprises.
Last year, the United States and the United Kingdom sanctioned two individuals and a Chinese company associated with this organization, accusing them of launching attacks against political figures, businesses, and dissidents. China has denied these allegations.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky posted on X, stating, “China (Communist Party) is intervening in our society through manipulation, propaganda, and cyber attacks.”
He further mentioned that the Chinese Ambassador had been summoned, and a clear message was conveyed regarding the serious consequences of such hostile behavior on bilateral relations.
Following the incident, the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs has deployed a new communication system with higher security measures.
In a statement, the Czech government strongly condemned this malicious cyber operation targeting the country’s critical infrastructure.
NATO and the European Union subsequently issued statements condemning the attack. The EU mentioned that since 2021, several member states have faced similar attacks.
EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas stated, “The EU and its member states stand firmly with the Czech Republic against this malicious cyber attack on its Ministry of Foreign Affairs.” She emphasized that these attacks violate internationally recognized norms for behavior in cyberspace.
“We urge all countries, including China (Communist Party), to cease such activities,” Kallas stressed, adding that the EU is prepared to take further action if necessary to prevent, deter, or respond to such malicious behavior.
(References from Reuters and Bloomberg)