Western cybersecurity must advance to counter China's cyberspace progress, says NCSC director
China's goal is to achieve global technological dominance, according to Lindy Cameron.
The UK and its allies must not fall behind China in the realm of cyberspace, Lindy Cameron, the head of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), has warned.
Cameron, speaking during the opening of the CyberUK annual conference in Belfast on Wednesday, said that the West faces a big challenge from China, which must be tackled before it emerges as the leading technological superpower worldwide.
According to Cameron, China is using its cyber capabilities to carry out intelligence and surveillance campaigns and has set its sights on achieving "global technological supremacy," in cyberspace.
"China is not only pushing for parity with Western countries, it is aiming for global technological supremacy," Cameron told the conference. "China continues to use cyber in pursuit of its comprehensive global intelligence collection and surveillance platform, to acquire intellectual property and achieve its strategic geopolitical goals."
Bluntly, we cannot afford not to keep pace with China. Otherwise, we risk China becoming the predominant power in cyberspace."
Cameron said some individuals may view her remarks as exaggerations or scare tactics, but stressed that the cyber risk from China is a genuine danger which should be taken seriously. She urged the audience to avoid complacency and consider how to tackle this risk.
"We have a legitimate concern about whether the technology China is producing will allow us to secure ourselves effectively in a way that means we can do cyber security in ten years' time."
"We possess huge advantages that give me confidence that we'll keep pace: our liberal economy, democratic values, and collaborative allies," she added.
"Collaboration is one of the keys to our success. It's the USP of our free, open, democratic culture. Only through collaboration between industry, government and academia will we maintain a cyberspace which is a safe and prosperous place for everyone."
Cameron's comments coincide with efforts by the US, the UK, and other Western nations to navigate China's expanding economic and political influence, fuelled by concerns about the security threat posed by the country. These worries have resulted in the UK government prohibiting ministers from using the Chinese-owned TikTok video-sharing app on their work mobile devices after conducting a security evaluation. The app is also being banned from use across the wider parliamentary network.
With over 150 million American users, TikTok has faced severe allegations of sharing US user data with the Chinese government and failing to sufficiently safeguard children from harm. Last month, Shou Zi Chew, TikTok CEO, was subjected to rigorous questioning by US lawmakers who firmly believe that the app, due to its potential to be a national security threat to the US, should be banned.
Last year, Sir Jeremy Fleming, the head of GCHQ, cautioned that China is leveraging technology to extend its sphere of influence, creating a significant long-term security threat to Britain. Fleming remarked that China had been attempting to erode global security by exploiting technology using its financial and technological prowess.
In a joint appearance in July 2022, the chiefs of the UK's MI5 and USA's FBI also raised alarm about China's efforts in economic espionage and hacking campaigns. MI5 director general Ken McCallum said China's attempts to obtain Western technology, expertise, and research have been professionally planned and organised on a large scale for decades. Describing China's actions as posing multifaceted, persistent, and extensive peril to the US, UK, and their allies, FBI director Chris Wray called on business leaders to collaborate with the FBI and MI5 to gather information about this threat.
Such information could aid businesses in assessing whether partnering with China is worthwhile, given the possible risk of confidential data loss.