US In Great Danger, FBI

Warns China Is Getting More Violent

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia –The United States (US) is in danger due to repeated cyber attacks from China. FBI officials have warned of increasing attacks from China targeting US critical infrastructure.

This latest warning follows a high-profile leak linked to a Chinese government-backed hacker group. According to reports, the hacking has infiltrated critical sectors in the US such as telecommunications, energy, and water.

Usually, these sophisticated attacks go undetected for a long period of time, quoted from TechSpot, Wednesday (4/30/2025).

In an interview with The Register, FBI Deputy Assistant Director Cynthia Kaiser explained how Chinese government-backed cyber groups use artificial intelligence (AI) in various stages of attack operations.

She said China’s attempts to attack the US were not always successful. However, AI increases the speed and efficiency of these attacks.

The practical impact of AI in cyber attacks is already clear. Once attackers have infiltrated a network, AI helps them map it more effectively and identify their next steps.

Kaiser also stressed the importance of strong defenses, saying that companies should block unauthorized access first and limit attackers’ movement within their networks.

Recent incidents demonstrate the scale and threat level of Chinese attacks. For example, the Volt Typhon group successfully leveraged hundreds of old routers to create a botnet that infiltrated U.S. infrastructure to launch destructive cyberattacks.

Meanwhile, the Salt Typhoon group compromised at least nine U.S. telecommunications and government networks last year. A more recent attack targeted more than 1,000 Cisco devices.

Kaiser noted that these hacking groups mostly gain access to U.S. critical infrastructure using basic methods, such as targeting older devices that are no longer supported by updates.

He added that the attackers typically exploit unpatched vulnerabilities to infiltrate systems.

Federal agencies have observed how the Volt Typhon attacks are very tactical in moving through internal systems, moving from business networks to operational technology.

“That’s what we saw with Salt Typhoon. The attackers were able to move laterally and navigate, taking time to gain the access they wanted,” Kaiser said.

Despite the change in government and the reduction in federal staff, Kaiser stressed that the FBI’s approach has not changed. The agency continues to respond to state actors and financially motivated cybercriminals looking to attack U.S. infrastructure.

The FBI continues to monitor how AI is being adopted into cyber operations. The agency analyzes which countries are adopting it and how often it appears at different stages of the attack process.

China and other cybercriminal groups have demonstrated the most widespread use of AI-based tactics, Kaiser said.

In addition to digital attacks, AI is enabling new forms of fraud. Kaiser highlighted how deepfake technology enables attackers to deceive employees.

For example, an attacker might impersonate a CEO on a popular messaging app or other trusted setting and ask for a money transfer or an urgent online meeting.

Kaiser noted that many people, including himself, would likely comply with the request without questioning its authenticity. Criminals are using this tactic to defraud businesses out of millions of dollars.

That’s why everyone needs to be more vigilant about fraud in the digital realm, especially as AI advances.

SOURCE : CNBC INDONESIA