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The Czech Republic has formally accused China of orchestrating a "malicious cyber campaign" targeting an unclassified communication network within its Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The attacks, attributed to the China-linked APT31 hacking group, are believed to have been ongoing since 2022. This action represents a significant escalation in tensions between the two nations regarding cyber espionage. In response to the detected activity, the Czech government summoned the Chinese ambassador to express its strong condemnation of these hostile actions and to convey the damaging impact on bilateral relations. The European Union has voiced its solidarity with Prague following this announcement, further highlighting the international implications of the cyberattack.

The Czech government, in a formal statement, identified the People's Republic of China as responsible for the cyber campaign. The government believes with a high degree of certainty that APT31, also known as Judgement Panda, Bronze Vinewood or RedBravo, a cyber-espionage group linked to China's Ministry of State Security, was behind the attacks. This group has a history of targeting government and defense supply chains. Czech authorities said the malicious activity “affected an institution designated as Czech critical infrastructure,” and targeted one of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ unclassified networks.

The Czech Republic asserts that the cyberattacks violate responsible state behavior in cyberspace, as endorsed by members of the United Nations, and undermine the credibility of China. The government is demanding that China adhere to these norms and refrain from similar activities in the future. The Czech Foreign Affairs Minister stated that the attribution was intended to expose China, “which has long been working to undermine our resilience and democracy". The detection of the attackers during the operation allowed for the implementation of a new communication system for the ministry, significantly strengthening its security.

ImgSrc: securityaffairs

References :

• Lukasz Olejnik: The Czech Republic has accused China of a "malicious cyber campaign" targeting an unclassified communication network at its Foreign Affairs Ministry since 2022, summoning the Chinese ambassador in protest. The EU expressed solidarity with Prague following the announcement.
• securityaffairs.com: Czech Republic accuses China’s APT31 of a cyberattack on its Foreign Ministry
• BleepingComputer: Czechia blames China for Ministry of Foreign Affairs cyberattack
• bsky.app: The Czech Republic says the Chinese-backed APT31 hacking group was behind cyberattacks targeting the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and critical infrastructure organizations.
• The Hacker News: The Czech Republic on Wednesday formally accused a threat actor associated with the People's Republic of China (PRC) of targeting its Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• therecord.media: Czech authorities said they assessed with “a high degree of certainty†that a Chinese cyber-espionage group known as APT31, tried to hack into a government network.
• mzv.gov.cz: Statement by the Government of the Czech Republic.

Classification:

• HashTags: #CyberAttack #APT31 #CyberEspionage
• Company: Czech Republic
• Target: Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Attacker: APT31
• Product: Foreign Ministry Network
• Feature: Cyber Espionage
• Type: Espionage
• Severity: Major