China Accuses U.S. NSA of Prolonged Cyberattacks on National Time Center

Beijing Alleges Extensive Cyber Espionage Campaign

China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) has publicly accused the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) of carrying out a 'long-term, highly covert' cyberattack campaign against China's National Time Service Center (NTSC) in Xi'an. The allegations, made in a statement posted on WeChat on Sunday, October 19, 2025, claim that these cyber intrusions began as early as March 2022.

The NTSC is a critical facility responsible for generating and maintaining China's standard time, which forms the basis for essential national systems including network communications, financial transactions, electricity supply, transportation, and defense. The MSS warned that any disruption to the center could lead to widespread failures across these sectors, potentially causing 'network communication failures, financial system disruptions, power outages, transportation paralysis, and even space launch failures.'

Alleged Methods and Timeline of Attacks

According to the Chinese ministry, the alleged cyberattacks unfolded in several phases. Initially, in March 2022, the NSA reportedly exploited vulnerabilities in the messaging service of an unspecified foreign smartphone brand to gain access to the mobile devices of NTSC staff, stealing sensitive data.

The accusations further detail that from April 2023, the NSA allegedly used stolen login credentials to infiltrate the center's computer systems and probe its internal network infrastructure. Between August 2023 and June 2024, the MSS claims the NSA attempted to infiltrate the High-Precision Ground-Based Timing System, deploying a new cyber warfare platform that utilized 42 types of 'special cyberattack weapons' to launch 'high-intensity attacks' on several internal network systems.

The ministry also stated that the NSA allegedly used virtual servers located across the United States, Europe, and Asia as 'springboards' to obscure the origin of the attacks. Investigations by Chinese cybersecurity authorities reportedly traced these attacks and found that they were often initiated during Beijing's late-night to early-morning hours. The MSS also claimed that the U.S. deployed tactics such as forging digital certificates and using strong encryption algorithms to erase evidence of their activities.

China's Response and International Context

The MSS stated that China's cybersecurity authorities gathered 'ironclad evidence' of the attacks and worked with the NTSC to 'cut off attack chains and upgrade its defenses.' The ministry emphasized that it had provided guidance to the center to eliminate the risks.

As of the time of this report, the U.S. has not issued an official comment on these specific allegations. These accusations come amidst heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing over various issues, including trade, technology, and Taiwan. Both countries have frequently exchanged accusations of cyber espionage in recent years, each identifying the other as a primary digital threat. The Chinese ministry notably remarked, 'The US is accusing others of what it does itself, repeatedly hyping up claims about Chinese cyber threats.'