China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) says it has uncovered “irrefutable evidence” that the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) carried out a series of cyberattacks against its National Time Service Center (NTSC) — the institution responsible for maintaining the country’s official time standard.
According to reports from Bloomberg, the MSS claims the NSA exploited vulnerabilities in the mobile phones of NTSC employees beginning in March 2022, allowing it to steal sensitive data and monitor communications.
The NTSC, part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), provides precise time services critical to sectors such as telecommunications, finance, energy, transportation, defense, and mapping. It also supports China’s contribution to global time standards.
In an official statement, China’s MSS alleged that the NSA launched multiple cyber operations designed to infiltrate and sabotage the NTSC’s systems.
Timeline of Alleged Attacks
According to Beijing’s investigation, the sequence of cyber intrusions unfolded as follows:
- March 25, 2022: NSA allegedly exploited a vulnerability in a foreign SMS service to hack staff phones and extract sensitive information.
- April 18, 2023: Using stolen credentials, the attackers reportedly accessed NTSC’s internal computers to study its network.
- August 2023 – June 2024: China claims the NSA deployed a new cyber warfare platform, using 42 advanced cyber tools to target precision timing systems and plant disruptive code.
The MSS stated the attacks occurred late at night (Beijing Time), using VPNs routed through the U.S., Europe, and Asia, and involved forged certificates and encrypted channels to conceal their origins. Chinese authorities claim they detected and neutralized the intrusions, subsequently reinforcing NTSC’s defenses.
The MSS also accused the NSA of using global private servers to disguise the attack sources. In response, China says it has enhanced technical safeguards and implemented stricter counter-espionage measures.
Citizens and organizations have been urged to report suspected cyber-espionage through China’s 12339 hotline, official website, or WeChat public account.
The NSA has not yet commented on the allegations.
Comments