China Accuses US of Cyberattack: Targeting National Time Center?

Liputan6.com, Jakarta China recently leveled serious accusations against the United States (US) regarding an alleged large-scale cyberattack.

China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) claimed that the US National Security Agency (NSA) had targeted its National Time Service Center in Xi'an.

These allegations were officially announced on October 19 and 20, 2025.

The National Time Service Center is a crucial institution under the Chinese Academy of Sciences responsible for maintaining and broadcasting "Beijing Time" as the national standard.

This standard time is fundamental to the operation of various vital sectors, from communications and defense to finance, energy and transportation to space launches.

China's National Time Service Center, located in Xi'an, was the primary target of this alleged cyberattack.

This institution plays a vital role in generating and distributing the national standard time, known as "Beijing Time."

Furthermore, China's energy sector, public transportation, computer servers, and even its space program are highly dependent on accurate time.

A disruption to the National Time Service Center could potentially cause mass chaos, disrupt schedules, and even compromise national security.

Therefore, Beijing is taking this alleged cyberattack very seriously.

“From a technical perspective, China’s allegation about an NSA hack on its national timekeeping center is plausible and aligns with known US cyber capabilities,”  Jeff Bardin, chief intelligence officer at US-based Treadstone 71, told CSO on Monday.

But, he added, “without public evidence it’s hard to confirm conclusively.”

China's Ministry of State Security claims to have gathered "irrefutable evidence" pointing to the involvement of the US National Security Agency (NSA) in this cyberattack.

In a post in WeChat, China’s Ministry of National Security saying, “national security authorities uncovered a major cyber attack case in the United States and obtained irrefutable evidence that the National Security Agency launched a cyber attack and invaded China’s National Time Service Center."

According to the MSS, the NSA allegedly exploited a vulnerability in a foreign mobile phone brand's messaging service to steal sensitive information and login credentials from the devices of National Time Service Center staff.

The Chinese investigation also uncovered the use of approximately 42 types of "specialized cyberattack weapons" designed to infiltrate the National Time Service Center's systems.

As reported by CSO Online, an NSA spokesperson sent this reply by email: “NSA does not confirm nor deny allegations in the media regarding its operations. Our core focus is countering foreign malign activities persistently targeting American interests, and we will continue to defend against adversaries wishing to threaten us.”

The potential impact of this type of cyberattack is extremely concerning.

A disruption to the National Time Service Center could trigger serious disruption to communications networks, financial systems, electricity supplies, and even international standard time.

These allegations come amid escalating political and trade tensions between China and the US, with both countries frequently trading accusations over cyber activity.

Washington previously accused Chinese-sponsored cyber actors of breaching systems at the US Treasury Department, allegations Beijing has consistently denied as "baseless."