FBI Issues Scary Warning About Chinese Cyber Threats

FBI Director Christopher Wray issues a stark warning about Chinese cyber threats to U.S. national security as he prepares to step down from his position.

At a Glance

  • FBI Director Wray identifies Chinese government as the “defining threat of our generation”
  • China’s hacking program is described as the largest globally, surpassing all other nations combined
  • Chinese actors have positioned themselves within U.S. critical infrastructure, potentially to cause significant harm
  • Wray announces resignation effective Jan. 20, with Kash Patel named as successor by President-elect Trump
  • The FBI emphasizes partnerships with private sector and academia to counter Chinese threats

Wray’s Final Warning on China’s Cyber Threat

In a recent “60 Minutes” interview, outgoing FBI Director Christopher Wray delivered a sobering assessment of the cyber threats posed by the Chinese government to U.S. national security. As Wray prepares to hand over the reins of the FBI to Kash Patel, he emphasized the critical nature of China’s advanced cyber capabilities and their potential impact on vital U.S. infrastructure.

Wray’s warnings come at a crucial time, as the U.S. faces a transition in leadership at one of its key security agencies. The FBI Director’s decision to step down underscores the importance of maintaining stability within the bureau amid political changes, while also ensuring that the focus remains on addressing pressing national security challenges.

China’s Broad and Unrelenting Threat

The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) cyber activities present a multifaceted challenge to U.S. security, encompassing criminal, counterintelligence, and cybersecurity threats. Wray highlighted the CCP’s global ambitions and its targeting of U.S. civilian infrastructure as part of a broader strategy to achieve dominance.

“The PRC [People’s Republic of China] has made it clear that it considers every sector that makes our society run as fair game in its bid to dominate on the world stage, and that its plan is to land low blows against civilian infrastructure to try to induce panic and break America’s will to resist,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said.

The FBI has identified a pattern of intellectual property theft, technology espionage, and research appropriation across nearly every U.S. industry. This systematic plundering of American innovation is driven by the CCP’s insatiable appetite for wealth and power, posing a significant threat to U.S. economic security.

Of particular concern is China’s apparent strategy to prevent U.S. interference in a potential future crisis with Taiwan. By 2027, the CCP aims to have established a robust deterrent through cyber intrusions and criminal activities. This timeline adds urgency to the FBI’s efforts to counter these evolving threats.

“Well, the greatest long-term threat facing our country, in my view, is represented by the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese government, which I consider to be the defining threat of our generation,” Christopher Wray said.

The FBI’s strategy to combat these threats involves a comprehensive approach, drawing resources from its crime, counterintelligence, and cybersecurity divisions. Wray emphasized the critical importance of partnerships with the private sector and academia in this fight, recognizing that the scope of the threat requires a united front.

Aren’t you glad this bunch of incompetent fools won’t be in charge as China moves ahead with these plans?