China Accuses US of Cyber Espionage on Strategic Time Center
China’s Ministry of State Security has accused the United States of conducting multiple cyber espionage operations against the National Time Service Center, a key Chinese institution. According to the ministry, the digital intrusions, particularly between 2022 and 2024, may have disrupted sensitive national networks, including communications, finance, electricity distribution, and international time synchronization systems.
In a statement shared on the Chinese social media platform WeChat, the ministry alleged that the US National Security Agency (NSA) has long been digitally monitoring the National Time Service Center. Evidence obtained, the ministry claims, indicates that since 2022, the US has stolen data and accessed internal system credentials of the center.
The report further states that American cyber operatives exploited vulnerabilities in a foreign mobile messaging app to breach personal devices of the center’s staff, although it did not disclose the name of the app or the brand. Additionally, the ministry reported that in recent years, more advanced attacks have been carried out against terrestrial-based precision time regulation systems.
The National Time Service Center, part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, oversees the official timekeeping and time dissemination for the nation. It plays a crucial role in both national and international time coordination. China warned that targeting such an institution by a foreign power amounts to a threat against the country’s communication and technical security.
In recent years, Beijing has repeatedly accused Washington of conducting malicious cyber operations against Chinese institutions and officials. These claims come amid intensifying global competition in the fields of cyber and information warfare. The continued silence and lack of a clear response from the US government have remained a key concern in discussions about global digital security.
