The Chinese government-sponsored hacking gang allegedly carried out a cyberattack against the New Zealand parliament, collecting personal information about some of the nation's lawmakers, according to the intelligence agency of the country. Beijing has denied the allegation, claiming there is no proof to back it up.
Minister of the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), Judith Collins, said in a statement on Monday that the Parliamentary Counsel Office and the Parliamentary Service were the targets of the alleged breach, which happened in 2021.
The quick detection of the "malicious cyber activity" by the authorities in New Zealand, according to her, stopped the hackers from gaining access to "strategic or sensitive" material.
Collins alleges that the assault was carried out by a group known as Advanced Persistent Threat 40 (APT 40), which the GCSB believes is connected to China's Ministry of State Security.
She said, "It is intolerable for cyber-enabled espionage operations to meddle in democratic institutions and processes anywhere in the world."
The GCSB minister emphasized that although Wellington had questioned Beijing on the purported hack, New Zealand had no intention of imposing sanctions on China in response to the event.
Collins' remark coincided with the US Department of Justice releasing images of seven Chinese nationals who are sought for allegedly using malicious emails to get into the email accounts of American and British targets during a 14-year period.
The individuals were allegedly part of APT 31, sometimes referred to as "Violet Typhoon," which is a hacking outfit considered to be state-sponsored.
In response to China's purported cyber-security threat, the GCSB minister stressed the need for a coordinated Western reaction, adding that "liberal democracies stand up for other liberal democracies."
Beijing has conveyed "strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition" to the island nation's authorities, according to the Chinese embassy in New Zealand, which downplayed Wellington's claims as "groundless and irresponsible."
The embassy said in a statement on Tuesday that "instead of smearing other countries when facts do not exist, still less politicize or even weaponize cybersecurity issues, one needs to have adequate and objective evidence when investigating and determining the nature of cyber cases."
China's ambassadors stated, perhaps referring to the US, that "accusing China of foreign interference is completely barking up the wrong tree" and that Beijing does not engage in the domestic affairs of other nations.
According to the statement, China is prepared to encourage collaboration with Wellington "on the basis of mutual respect" and expects that New Zealand would follow suit, abstaining from "megaphone diplomacy."
Minister of the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), Judith Collins, said in a statement on Monday that the Parliamentary Counsel Office and the Parliamentary Service were the targets of the alleged breach, which happened in 2021.
The quick detection of the "malicious cyber activity" by the authorities in New Zealand, according to her, stopped the hackers from gaining access to "strategic or sensitive" material.
Collins alleges that the assault was carried out by a group known as Advanced Persistent Threat 40 (APT 40), which the GCSB believes is connected to China's Ministry of State Security.
She said, "It is intolerable for cyber-enabled espionage operations to meddle in democratic institutions and processes anywhere in the world."
The GCSB minister emphasized that although Wellington had questioned Beijing on the purported hack, New Zealand had no intention of imposing sanctions on China in response to the event.
Collins' remark coincided with the US Department of Justice releasing images of seven Chinese nationals who are sought for allegedly using malicious emails to get into the email accounts of American and British targets during a 14-year period.
The individuals were allegedly part of APT 31, sometimes referred to as "Violet Typhoon," which is a hacking outfit considered to be state-sponsored.
In response to China's purported cyber-security threat, the GCSB minister stressed the need for a coordinated Western reaction, adding that "liberal democracies stand up for other liberal democracies."
Beijing has conveyed "strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition" to the island nation's authorities, according to the Chinese embassy in New Zealand, which downplayed Wellington's claims as "groundless and irresponsible."
The embassy said in a statement on Tuesday that "instead of smearing other countries when facts do not exist, still less politicize or even weaponize cybersecurity issues, one needs to have adequate and objective evidence when investigating and determining the nature of cyber cases."
China's ambassadors stated, perhaps referring to the US, that "accusing China of foreign interference is completely barking up the wrong tree" and that Beijing does not engage in the domestic affairs of other nations.
According to the statement, China is prepared to encourage collaboration with Wellington "on the basis of mutual respect" and expects that New Zealand would follow suit, abstaining from "megaphone diplomacy."
