China to increase protections against hacking for key industries

China’s ministry of industry and information technology (MIIT) unveiled a plan on Monday that aims to improve data security in China’s industrial sector and
effectively contain “major risks” by the end of 2026.
The plan comes at a time when China and the United States both frequently accuse each other of cyberattacks and industrial espionage.
Reuters reported last year that Chinese government entities and state-owned enterprises were accelerating efforts to replace Western-made hardware and software with domestic alternatives, partly due to fears of hacking from foreign adversaries.
“In response to frequent risk scenarios such as ransomware attacks, vulnerability backdoors, illegal operations by personnel, and uncontrolled remote operation and maintenance, we will strengthen risk self-examination and self-correction, and adopt precise management and protective measures,” according to the plan, published on MIIT’s website.