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In a stunning turn of events, Chinese officials have indirectly admitted to orchestrating the Volt Typhoon cyberattacks against critical U.S. infrastructure during a closed-door Geneva summit. This admission, reported on April 11, 2025, signals a dangerous escalation in the covert conflict between the two superpowers, particularly concerning Taiwan. The Volt Typhoon operation, a strategic intrusion into the very foundation of America’s civilian infrastructure, involved state-backed actors exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities to infiltrate sectors like utilities, telecoms, and the electric grid, with some operatives remaining undetected for as long as 300 days.

The acknowledgment of these attacks occurred during a back-channel meeting with the outgoing Biden administration, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. While the admission was carefully worded to maintain plausible deniability, U.S. officials interpreted it as a clear retaliatory message against Washington’s support for Taiwan. This incident highlights the severe vulnerability of U.S. infrastructure to sophisticated nation-state cyberattacks and underscores that the geopolitical conflict over Taiwan is already being waged in the digital realm. China's message was clear: "Back off Taiwan or face systemic consequences," a message that U.S. officials were late in fully understanding.

Experts have warned that the U.S. may face escalated Chinese cyberattacks as a retaliatory measure to tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump amid the ongoing trade war. Cybersecurity advisor Tom Kellermann noted that attacks by the Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon operations have enabled infiltration of U.S. critical infrastructure, which could be leveraged for more significant intrusions. Similarly, Annie Fixler, Director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation, suggested that China has been holding back on attacks in preparation for a Taiwan crisis, indicating that cyber warfare could become a primary instrument of geopolitical power.

ImgSrc: doingfedtime.co

References :

• Sam Bent: In a closed-door Geneva summit, Chinese officials admitted—albeit indirectly—to orchestrating Volt Typhoon cyberattacks on US infrastructure. The move signals escalating covert conflict over Taiwan and exposes the US grid’s vulnerability to prolonged foreign infiltration.
• DataBreaches.Net: Chinese officials acknowledged in a secret December meeting that Beijing was behind a widespread series of alarming cyberattacks on U.S. infrastructure, according to people familiar with the matter, underscoring how hostilities between the two superpowers are continuing to escalate.

Classification:

• HashTags: #China #CyberEspionage #VoltTyphoon
• Target: US infrastructure
• Attacker: China
• Product: Infrastructure
• Feature: Cyber Espionage
• Malware: Volt Typhoon
• Type: Hack
• Severity: Major