China state hackers targeted Power grid near Ladakh

According to a report released on Wednesday by private intelligence firm Recorded Future, Chinese state-sponsored hackers have targeted Indian electricity distribution centres near Ladakh in recent months, posing a new potential flashpoint following a months-long military conflict between the two countries in the region. 

The report says that the hackers targeted at least seven “load dispatch” facilities in northern India, which are responsible for performing real-time grid control and electricity dispersal in the areas where they are located, near the disputed India-China border in Ladakh. 

Another hacking group, RedEcho, previously targeted one of the load dispatch centres, which Recorded Future claims has “significant overlaps” with a hackers group linked to the Chinese government. 

The Chinese attackers were attempting to obtain information regarding important infrastructure systems, according to the intelligence business, which is one of the world’s largest and specializes in identifying risks from state-sponsored hackers. 

“The goal of invasions could be to obtain a better knowledge of these complex systems  to assist capability development for future use or to gain enough accessibility across the system because of the potential contingency operations,” Recorded Future said.  

The group said it had reported the compromising of ten different Indian power sector organisations in February of last year, including four of the five Regional Load Dispatch Centres (RLDC), two ports, a significant generator operator, and other operational assets. In addition, the hackers also hacked into an Indian national emergency response system and a subsidiary of a multinational logistics firm. 

Recorded Future informed that the hacker organisation TAG-38 employed a type of malicious software called ShadowPad, which was previously linked to China’s People’s Liberation Army and the Ministry of State Security. The names of the victims were not identified by the researchers. 

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not responded to a request for comment on the issue.  On multiple instances, Beijing has denied any involvement in hostile cyber activities. Likewise, a request for feedback from the Indian government was also rejected. Watch this video for more information on the incident  

India China border dispute  

India and China have long fought over their broad 3,500-kilometer border, and in 1962, they fought a brief border war in Arunachal Pradesh. In 2020 tensions increased after a deadly high-altitude conflict in Ladakh’s far-northern area, which witnessed troops fighting hand-to-hand in the contested Galwan Valley. 

Multiple rounds of discussions have not been very successful in de-escalating tensions since then, and both sides have strengthened the region with more military gear and thousands of additional troops. 

India declared last month that relations with China could not return to normal unless both countries’ forces moved back from each other, but Beijing struck a more conciliatory tone during their foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi. 

Published By: Apoorva Wakodikar

Edited By: Khushi Thakur