Police step up efforts to crack down on hacking

Police in China have investigated multiple hacking cases launched by criminals from home and abroad, effectively protecting the security of key information infrastructure, as well as critical information systems and data, said Li Tong, deputy head of the cybersecurity protection bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, on Thursday.

Li said that the nation's public security organs have always adhered to a zero-tolerance attitude on intrusion, illegal control and destruction of computer information systems and theft of important data, and will resolutely continue to fight such crimes.

Police have insisted on dismantling criminal enterprises, rooting out people participating in hacking and tracing groups involved in the development and sale of Trojan viruses, he said.

"Public security organs in Beijing, Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu, Shaanxi and Zhejiang have investigated a number of cyberattacks committed by overseas hacker organizations targeting important organizations in China in the fields of energy, military, finance and education. They have plugged loopholes in a timely manner to eliminate hidden dangers," he said.

The ministry has promoted the establishment of a classified protection system and legal, standard and technical systems for the nation's computer network, Li said.

Since 2012, the ministry has inspected the cybersecurity safeguards of nearly 100,000 key institutes and organizations, effectively perfecting the network's security system, according to the ministry.

Li said that by the end of 2022, China had 1.067 billion internet users, and public security organs are focusing on new trends in cyber attacks to organize a series of special actions to crack down on crimes that harm network and data security.

"We also strengthened international law enforcement cooperation and jointly combat cyberattacks by foreign hackers against China with other countries," he said.