The UK government has formally accused China of orchestrating 'malicious' cyber campaigns targeting MPs and the Electoral Commission, imposing sanctions on two individuals and a company. Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden stated that the attacks sought to access details of MPs critical of Beijing and potentially 40 million voters' data.
The sanctioned individuals are Chinese nationals Zhao Guangzong and Ni Gaobin, along with Wuhan Xiaoruizhi Science and Technology Company Ltd, which the UK claims works for the state-affiliated cyber espionage group APT31. The sanctions include asset freezes and travel bans, preventing UK citizens and businesses from handling their funds or barring them from entering the UK.
The cyber attack on the Electoral Commission, which occurred between August 2021 and October 2022, is described as one of the most significant in British history. It compromised databases containing names and addresses, as well as sensitive emails from control systems and those related to six by-elections. However, Dowden assured that election security was not compromised.
The targeted MPs are members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, which scrutinises Beijing's activities. Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, former minister Tim Loughton, and the SNP's Stewart McDonald reported harassment, failed hacks, and impersonations. Sir Iain called for further sanctions and described the response as 'like an elephant giving birth to a mouse'.
The Chinese embassy in the UK dismissed the allegations as 'completely unfounded' and 'malicious slander'. The US has also announced criminal charges against the same two Chinese nationals in New York, while New Zealand accused China of targeting its parliamentary network but opted not to introduce sanctions.
