China Poses Remote Sabotage Threat to UK Critical Infrastructure, Sources Warn
Security concerns rise over 'kill switches' in Chinese-made components found in vehicles and energy systems.
Security sources have warned that China could remotely sabotage UK police cars, ambulances, and buses by exploiting 'kill switches' embedded in Chinese-made electric vehicle components. This threat emerges amidst growing intelligence agency concerns about the British government's perceived lenient approach to Beijing.
The potential for remote disruption extends beyond emergency vehicles to include transport networks, hospitals, the power grid, and renewable energy technologies like solar panels. The Metropolitan Police, for instance, operates a fleet of 1,600 electric and hybrid vehicles that contain Chinese cellular devices capable of connecting to mobile communication networks. Without preventive measures, these systems could be accessed by 'remote actors' to disable or crash vehicles.
In response to these risks, emergency vehicles relying on Chinese technology have reportedly undergone extensive rebuilding to remove any capacity for remote sabotage. This situation arises as kill switches have also been discovered in components for solar panels and wind turbines, raising fears of national blackouts. Security experts have also cautioned that driverless cars are vulnerable to hacking, particularly with plans for their wider rollout.
The vulnerability is exacerbated by China's growing dominance in the British car market, which has doubled in the past year, now accounting for nearly one in five new car sales. The discovery of these components has occurred during forensic examinations of energy equipment, where parts were found that were not included in the original equipment plans provided to engineers.
Similar concerns have been raised about electric buses operating in Britain, such as the Yutong models. Initial discoveries in Norway found that these buses contained SIM cards that connected to a Romanian provider, ostensibly for remote battery monitoring. However, a single software update originating from a different country could be sufficient to disable the vehicles. Despite security experts' reservations, more Chinese-made buses have reportedly been ordered by the Department for Transport.
The threat also extends to electric vans and lorries, with sources indicating that control over these vehicles could grant China significant leverage over the nation's logistics network. Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers operate under China's National Intelligence Laws, which mandate that organizations and individuals 'support, assist and cooperate with state intelligence work.'
Concerns about foreign interference have also impacted plans for autonomous vehicles. Uber's planned launch of driverless taxis in London next year, in partnership with Chinese tech giant Baidu, has alarmed experts who fear that infotainment systems could be compromised by foreign agents. This follows incidents in San Francisco where driverless vehicles were halted during a city-wide power failure, causing road blockages.
The government's approach to China has drawn criticism, with suggestions that a focus on trade and investment with Beijing may be overshadowing security considerations. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has reportedly taken a soft stance on China, leading to suspicion from Whitehall security officials, particularly given his advocacy for renewable energy sources heavily reliant on Chinese supply chains, such as solar panels.
Experts point to a deliberate strategy by China to embed secret components into electronics to bypass firewalls and enable state-backed hacking operations. This strategy is reportedly fueled by significant Chinese investment in cybersecurity expertise, with thousands of new experts emerging annually.
The European Union has adopted a more stringent approach, freezing assets of Chinese companies implicated in hacking critical infrastructure and drafting legislation to exclude Chinese-linked companies from sensitive projects. In contrast, some sources suggest the UK government is struggling to address the issue effectively due to ministerial turnover and a lack of understanding of the technological threats.
MI5 has also issued warnings about British universities being infiltrated by Chinese intelligence, with academics unwittingly aiding Beijing's intelligence services. The agency noted that Chinese intelligence has sought to benefit from British AI and technology research, particularly through projects with strong ties to China's Ministry of State Security.
Cyber-security experts have also highlighted the vulnerability of the UK's National Health Service (NHS) to Chinese cyberattacks, citing its outdated IT systems. Chinese state-backed groups have been implicated in significant cyber incidents, including hacking the Electoral Commission and targeting members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China.
Further evidence of these threats includes the National Cyber Security Centre's warning about Chinese state actors building covert networks by hijacking household and office routers to infiltrate vital infrastructure. Last year, the Ministry of Defence reportedly banned electric vehicles with Chinese components from military bases due to concerns about data collection and transmission to Beijing. Personnel have also been advised to avoid sensitive conversations in electric cars that could be bugged.
The Five Eyes intelligence alliance, comprising the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, has also warned that Chinese military intelligence is targeting professional networking sites and online job platforms to acquire sensitive information. These warnings underscore a broader pattern of Chinese intelligence activities aimed at gathering data and potentially disrupting critical systems.