US cybersecurity officials visit Ukraine, Poland for high-level talks
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This comes amid recent allegations implicating China in hacking operations.
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The first Kiev International Cyber Resilience Forum 2024 was hosted by NCSCC and supported by CRDF Global and the US Department of State. (Ukraine MFA, X)
From February 7-9, US Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy Nathaniel Fick and Director of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Jen Easterly held discussions with government officials in Ukraine and Poland during their visit to the two countries.
"In Ukraine, Ambassador Fick and Director Easterly participated in the Kiev International Cybersecurity Forum 2024: Resilience in Cyber Warfare and met with government officials and private sector stakeholders to emphasize the United States’ continued solidarity with Ukraine," the State Department’s Office of the Spokesperson said in a statement.
🌐 The 1st Kyiv International Cyber Resilience Forum 2024 hosted by NCSCC and supported by CRDF Global and the US Department of State 🤝💻 #KyivCyberForum #CyberSecurity #GlobalCollaboration pic.twitter.com/siwRSJPFgv
— MFA of Ukraine 🇺🇦 (@MFA_Ukraine) February 9, 2024
During their visit to Poland, Fick and Easterly convened with government representatives to address topics such as secure digital ecosystems, cybersecurity governance, and initiatives aimed at enhancing global cyber resilience, according to the statement.
The statement further indicated that Fick and Easterly are scheduled to conduct a discussion on their visit to Ukraine on February 15.
Read more: China bans govt officials from using iPhones for work: WSJ
This comes amid recent allegations implicating China's involvement in hacking operations.
Two senior American officials stated during a media conference on February 1rst that the US has interrupted an alleged Chinese cyber operation targeting key infrastructure in the United States, Reuters reported.
The operation allegedly destroyed hundreds of US-based small office or home office routers that were part of a "botnet" allegedly hijacked by China's state-sponsored hackers for eavesdropping, according to Sean Newell, Deputy Chief of the US Department of Justice's National Security Division.
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In May 2023, the US and its major partners announced the Chinese cyber operation, claiming that the espionage also targeted US military groups. The Chinese government at the time called the allegations a "misinformation campaign".
In a joint call with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Newell claimed that the "cyber actors" utilize the botnet to hide the "hacking of US and foreign critical infrastructure among other malicious cyber activities."
The US officials secured court clearance to carry out the operation, which included deleting the harmful files from the infected routers and ensuring they could not be re-infected, according to the officials.
Reuters last week exclusively reported on the US campaign against the Chinese cyber activity known as Volt Typhoon, which a Chinese government spokesperson called "irresponsible criticism".
The spokesperson expressed that China's government has "been categorical in opposing hacking attacks and the abuse of information technology," adding that the US was involved in hacking and "eavesdropping more than other countries."
