China Has Abandoned a Cybersecurity Truce With the U.S., Report Says – Bloomberg
What happened: China has largely abandoned an Obama-era hacking truce with the US. The agreement led to a slowdown in Chinese hacking in 2015, but the effects of the truce have been reversed, according to cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike, which recently released a report reviewing US rivals’ cyber activity. A representative from the company said that hacking activity resumed in 2017, and reached a peak in 2018. Crowdstrike expects the heightened activity to continue.
Why it’s important: The report comes as the US and China seek to reach a trade deal ahead of a Mar. 1 deadline. Chinese hackers targets included telecommunications infrastructure, currently a sensitive issue as the US and its allies attempt to limit the deployment of Chinese-made 5G equipment. Huawei has borne the brunt of the increased scrutiny for its alleged ties to the Chinese government, prompting concerns over the security of its infrastructure.