The US government blames China for a hacking attack on Microsoft.
NATO and the EU are demonstratively taking the side of the USA.
Munich / Washington DC - The tone between the USA and China is getting rougher.
The two largest economies in the world are not only facing each other in economic and cultural competition, cyberspace is also an arena. A serious threat to the economic and national security of the USA is the last attack by Chinese hackers on the US company Microsoft, according to US - Foreign Minister Antony Blinken on July 19th.
The cyber attack was carried out by “criminal hackers” on the Chinese payroll, Blinken accused Beijing.
On the same day, the U.S. Department of Justice announced charges against four Chinese people charged with hacking the computers of dozens of companies, universities, and government agencies in the U.S. and other countries between 2011 and 2018.
US President Joe Biden accuses China of Russian methods
US President Joe Biden compared China's actions with the methods Russia is choosing to support hackers.
"Similar to the Russian government, the Chinese government does not do that itself, but it protects those who do and maybe even supports them," Biden told journalists in Washington.
The USA, the EU, Great Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan and NATO stand united against this “immense threat” to their “economic and national security”, emphasized a US government representative.
"The US and our allies and partners are not ruling out further steps to bring the People's Republic of China to justice."
The hacking attack on Microsoft violates "the norms of responsible government behavior".
The European Union called on Beijing to take “all reasonable steps” to crack down on cyber criminals.
Hacker attacks from China: EU and NATO side with the US
NATO is also taking the side of the United States.
The defense alliance has warned of an increase in threatening cyber activity.
These would aim to destabilize Euro-Atlantic security and disrupt the lives of citizens, NATO announced on July 19.
The goals of these activities are, for example, critical infrastructure and democratic institutions.
Therefore, the military alliance is ready at any time to take all necessary measures to avert the threats.
A harmless choice of words compared to the message that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sent to China.
The cyber attack on Microsoft in March followed a "pattern of irresponsible, destructive and destabilizing behavior in cyberspace," complained the 59-year-old.
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jjf / AFP / dpa
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