Report uncovers real intention behind US 'Volt Typhoon' misinformation campaign

BEIJING -- The so-called "Volt Typhoon" cyber threat narrative is a US campaign of misinformation and public opinion manipulation, according to the latest findings of a Chinese investigation.

US intelligence agencies have fabricated and hyped up "cyber threat from China" with an intention to push for the authorization of Section 702 of the US Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a law that allows warrantless surveillance, and tout more budgets from the US Congress, according to the findings.

In May 2023, the United States and its "Five Eyes" allies released an advisory, claiming that a hacker they labeled "Volt Typhoon" had launched espionage activities targeting US key infrastructures and the organization was endorsed by the Chinese government.

In response, China's National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center and other technical teams launched a traceability analysis and issued an investigation report in April.

A new report by the team revealed that "Volt Typhoon" is a typical misinformation maneuvered by US intelligence agencies and jointly participated in by anti-China US politicians and cybersecurity authorities of the "Five Eyes" countries.

The plan was initiated at the beginning of 2023 or even earlier, with the aim to further consolidate and strengthen the network penetration capabilities of US intelligence agencies, particularly by enhancing their ability to attack external targets and deter rivals, as well as their ability to monitor and control the domestic population, according to the report.

The plan consisted of three phases with clear objectives to push for the reauthorization of Section 702.

On April 19, the US Senate approved the reauthorization with a vote of 60-34. This reauthorization extends the surveillance authority for two more years, allowing the US government to continue collecting communications of non-Americans located outside the country without a warrant.

Data revealed that from May 2023 to January 2024, US government-backed hacking organizations waged over 45 million cyber attacks -- all authorized by Section 702 -- against Chinese government entities, academies, scientific research institutes, enterprises and critical infrastructures.

Calling the US government agencies the mastermind behind the "Volt Typhoon," the report described such a move as the inevitable product of the international hegemonism that the United States strives to maintain.

The report said similar plans to "Volt Typhoon" will continue to be devised and implemented by the next US government agencies. Under the control of US intelligence agencies, American cybersecurity companies will fabricate more false narratives of "foreign government-sponsored cyberattacks," continually deceiving Congress into approving more budgets and increasing the debt burden on American taxpayers.

The report said Section 702 poses serious threats not only to Americans, but also to countries around the globe in terms of state sovereignty and individual privacy.

It called on governments and people around the world to firmly oppose and resist the US act of making use of its advantage in cyber-technology to compromise other countries' sovereignty and the legitimate rights and interests of other peoples.