China Sharply Boosts Cyber Warfare Funding

[Geee]

Free Beacon:

China’s government is sharply increasing its investment in cyber warfare programs in what U.S. intelligence officials say is a major attempt to compete with superior U.S. military cyber capabilities.

 

The new spending priority was described by U.S. officials as a long-term, large-scale reallocation of resources by the Chinese, considered along with Russia to be among the most capable cyber warfare nation states.

 

“There is now data we have that suggests that they have redirected as much as 20 to 30 percent more funding to cyber than they have in previous years,” said a U.S. official familiar with details of the Chinese cyber warfare program.

 

The official said new intelligence reports indicate Beijing has “made a long term strategic commitment” to bolstering cyber warfare efforts.

 

According to U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, the major increase in Chinese efforts was set off after the Chinese concluded that their military cyber programs lag behind U.S. strategic cyber warfare efforts in significant ways.

 

The increased investment highlights China’s aggressive cyber activities that have been highlighted by both government and private sector security reports in the U.S.