China Accuses NSA Over Time Service, No Evidence

China’s Ministry of State Security accused the U.S. National Security Agency of mounting long-term, systematic cyberattacks on the National Time Service Center, saying on WeChat it has “irrefutable evidence” of intrusions dating back to 2022. The MSS alleges the NSA exploited a vulnerability in the messaging service of an unnamed foreign smartphone brand to steal staff data and credentials, then used those credentials and about 42 types of “special cyberattack weapons” to infiltrate internal networks. It said attackers attempted to compromise a high-precision, ground-based timing system between 2023 and 2024 and warned successful breaches could have disrupted communications, finance, power grids, transport, aerospace launches and international timekeeping. Beijing said authorities severed attack chains and upgraded protections but has not publicly released the evidence it cited. U.S. officials, including the NSA, had not immediately commented, and the allegation arrives amid rising U.S.-China tensions and mutual cyberaccusations that could further escalate the rivalry.