• China accuses the U.S. of cyberattacks on its National Time Service Center.
• The U.S. National Security Agency allegedly exploited vulnerabilities in smartphones to gain access to data.
• Cyberattacks risk vital functions, including finance and communications.
• China claims to have found "irrefutable evidence" of these attacks.
• The tensions are part of broader U.S.-China disputes over trade and technology.

China's Ministry of State Security accused the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) of conducting cyberattacks on the National Time Service Center, warning that such breaches could disrupt key infrastructure, including communication networks, financial systems, and power supply. The ministry stated that the NSA used vulnerabilities in a foreign smartphone brand's messaging service to steal sensitive information from staff members at the center starting from March 2022, according to Reuters and South China Morning Post.

Following these revelations, the Ministry disclosed that the NSA employed sophisticated cyber warfare methods, including 42 different types of cyberattack tools targeting the center's internal networks. The allegations about these threats intensified from August 2023 to June 2024, as the agency reportedly sought unauthorized access to the high-precision timing systems critical for various sectors, including defense and transportation, cites India Times and Channel News Asia.

China's investigations purportedly revealed that U.S. attacks predominantly occurred during late hours or early mornings Beijing time to circumvent detection. The ministry stressed that it has provided guidance to enhance security measures at the National Time Service Center, particularly in response to the repeated incursions linked to stolen login credentials from NSA operations, according to India Times and India Times.

This latest escalation in accusations comes amid already strained U.S.-China relations over trade disputes and technological tensions, with each side increasingly pointing fingers at the other's alleged cyber threats. The Ministry remarked that the U.S. tends to accuse others of its own practices, fueling further distrust in global cyberspace governance, as detailed by India Times and Channel News Asia.