February 28, 2024 at 05:34PM
Voltzite, a unit of China’s Volt Typhoon APT, is targeting electric transmission and distribution organizations in African nations, mirroring its US activities. The group aims to compromise industrial control systems and exploit GIS data, potentially linked to China’s Digital Silk Road initiative. These cyber threats intersect with geopolitical tensions, highlighted in Dragos’ latest report.
Based on the meeting notes, it is clear that there are significant cybersecurity threats targeting electric transmission and distribution organizations in African nations. The Voltzite unit within China’s Volt Typhoon APT seems to be behind these attacks, with a focus on compromising physical industrial control systems at electric sector targets in both the US and Africa. The attacks appear to align with Voltzite’s operations within the United States, indicating a consistent pattern.
These incursion attempts are associated with concerns around China’s “Digital Silk Road” initiative and the country’s heavy investment in technology across Africa. While many African nations view this initiative as a means of modernization and economic development, critics see it as a form of digital colonialism. There are also indications of geopolitical tensions and military considerations influencing these cybersecurity threats.
The intersection of OT cybersecurity threats with regional and global kinetic events is underscored in the Dragos annual OT security report. Overall, the meeting notes highlight the pressing need for heightened security measures and vigilance against cyber threats in the electric transmission and distribution sector, particularly in light of geopolitical tensions and ongoing global events.