China’s cyber foothold in US infrastructure exposes major vulnerability

Retired US Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery warned that Chinese cyber operations have established a foothold in American critical infrastructure, including power plants, water systems, and hospitals. Speaking at Cyberweek in Tel Aviv, he highlighted the Volt Typhoon group and stressed that cybersecurity must be treated as national defense.

Retired US Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery warned that the United States remains dangerously exposed to cyberattacks on its civilian infrastructure, with Chinese operations demonstrating how adversaries can establish a foothold inside critical networks long before a military confrontation. Speaking at Cyberweek in Tel Aviv University, Montgomery said the threat extends beyond military targets to power plants, nuclear facilities, water systems, hospitals, and transportation. He highlighted China's Volt Typhoon cyber group, which since 2023 has targeted hundreds of victims across telecommunications, government, defense contractors, and critical infrastructure including water, energy, and transportation. Montgomery stressed that cybersecurity must be treated as an integral part of national defense, noting that much US infrastructure is privately owned and operators may not understand the national security implications. He also claimed the US 'stopped the 40-day war with Iran because we couldn’t stop the drone attacks' targeting Gulf states, with nearly 5,000 drones striking GCC targets. The article frames the threat as a growing strategic challenge requiring affordable defensive capabilities.