(MENAFN) China has leveled accusations against the US National Security Agency (NSA), claiming it orchestrated a “major” long-term cyber infiltration targeting a key governmental body — the agency tasked with managing the country’s official timekeeping services.

On Sunday, the Ministry of State Security (MSS) shared a statement via its verified social media outlet, asserting that it had “obtained irrefutable evidence” of the NSA's intrusion into the National Time Service Center.

The MSS alleged that the clandestine campaign began in March 2022 with the objective of extracting confidential state information and carrying out digital sabotage.

The National Time Service Center plays a pivotal role in maintaining and disseminating ‘Beijing Time’ to several vital sectors such as finance, energy, transportation, and national defense.

The MSS emphasized that any disturbance to this crucial infrastructure could have led to significant turmoil across markets, supply chains, and power systems.

As per the MSS, the operation reportedly started when the NSA exploited a security flaw in foreign-manufactured mobile devices used by personnel at the center, allowing unauthorized access to protected information.

In April 2023, the agency allegedly escalated the operation by using compromised credentials to infiltrate internal networks, with peak activity occurring from August 2023 to June 2024.

The MSS further alleged that the attackers utilized 42 separate hacking tools during the covert campaign.

Additionally, they are said to have employed virtual private servers located across the United States, Europe, and Asia to disguise their digital footprint and origin.

MENAFN20102025000045017167ID1110218969