Chinese cyber espionage is more extensive than suspected, says Dutch military intelligence

Dutch military intelligence said on Monday that Chinese cyber espionage was more extensive than initially thought, targeting Western governments and defense companies.

The MIVD agency said a Chinese state-backed hacking group that was behind a 2023 hacking attack on the Dutch Ministry of Defense claimed at least 20,000 victims worldwide in a few months, and possibly many more.

China’s embassy in The Hague did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Beijing routinely denies accusations of cyber espionage and says it opposes all forms of cyberattack.

“The targets included dozens of Western governments, international organizations and numerous companies operating in the defense industry,” MVID said in a statement.

It urged organizations to adopt the “Assume Breach” principle, in which it is assumed that a successful digital attack has already occurred or will occur soon.

In April, the MIVD said in its annual report that Chinese spies were targeting the Dutch semiconductor, aerospace and maritime industries to try to strengthen China’s military.

(Except the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)