The number of Chinese cyber attacks through vulnerable edge devices is set to grow strongly in the coming years as Chinese hackers increasingly target these devices that organisations use to connect to the internet.
This is outlined by the Netherlands Defence Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD) and the Netherlands General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) in a Cyber Advisory which the services published today to help organisations better shield themselves from this threat.
Using intelligent technology, hackers exploit vulnerabilities in edge devices in order to penetrate networks. Intelligence from the Dutch services reveals that Chinese hackers have in-depth knowledge of these devices. They study every detail of Western hardware and software and in some cases even gain access to the hidden source code, enabling them to seek out the vulnerabilities in the hardware and software unbeknown to the manufacturer. Artificial intelligence enables the hackers to find and exploit these vulnerabilities more rapidly than before.
Familiar modus operandi
In its most recent annual report, the MIVD already warned of the increase in Chinese cyber attacks, referring specifically to hacks through edge devices. These are the devices on the edge of a network that connect directly to the internet, including firewalls, VPN gateways and portals. Although many different groups of hackers are targeting these devices, Chinese hackers in particular have been known to use this modus operandi. In recent years they have repeatedly exploited vulnerabilities in edge devices to penetrate their targets’ networks, including those of Dutch organisations.
Increasing resilience
Although there is no one foolproof method for organisations to entirely prevent attacks on their networks, they can significantly reduce the chance of success of such an attack. The Cyber Advisory contains various tips to this end, including promptly installing the latest security updates and employing multiple layers of security, such as two-step verification. [Link naar cyberadvies]
About the Cyber Advisory
The MIVD and AIVD have issued this Cyber Advisory to help organisations improve their digital security. Based on their knowledge and intelligence, and working in close cooperation with the National Cyber Security Centre of the Netherlands (NCSC-NL), the Dutch intelligence services provide concrete recommendations on measures needed to withstand cyber attacks, including those by other countries. These recommendations can be found on the websites of the AIVD, the Ministry of Defence and the NCSC.