In 2024, Chinese cyber espionage reached unprecedented levels, with adversaries operating at a heightened pace, according to a report by CrowdStrike. The American cybersecurity firm, renowned for its investigations into high-profile cyber intrusions, observed a 150 percent surge in Chinese cyberattacks on American interests.
This shift marks a departure from traditional malware intrusions, as attackers now employ artificial intelligence (AI)-powered deceptions.
These AI-driven tactics have led to a 300 percent increase in attacks targeting U.S. financial, media, and industrial sectors. The “2025 CrowdStrike Global Threat Report,” released on February 27, highlights the role of generative AI in creating fictitious profiles, generating emails, and conducting social engineering. These sophisticated methods have made cyber espionage more convincing and effective.
Voice phishing, or “vishing attacks,” where perpetrators phone their victims, increased by 442 percent. Initial access intrusions accounted for 52 percent of all incidents documented by CrowdStrike in 2024. The report also notes the rise of “access brokers,” who advertise their services, contributing to a 50 percent increase in such promotions.
The report highlights that the CCP’s covert cyber operations are in line with China’s goal of annexing Taiwan, a move that could potentially escalate into open military conflict with the United States.
CrowdStrike’s report underscores the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) use of cyber snooping as a tool against foreign political and military adversaries. The North Korean group Famous Chollima, known for embedding itself in U.S. companies, played a significant role in these activities.
In 2024, the group used AI to create fake IT job candidates to disrupt services around the U.S. presidential election, allegedly at the behest of China, Russia, and Iran.
The “2025 CrowdStrike Global Threat Report,” published on February 27, highlights how generative AI has become a valuable tool for malicious cyber actors. These adversaries are using AI to craft fake profiles, generate fraudulent emails, and perform social engineering, making their efforts increasingly convincing. The report also notes that Chinese cyber espionage has reached new heights, with adversaries operating at a significantly higher pace.
After President Donald Trump’s victory, China-nexus groups seemingly bypassed intermediaries and became directly involved. The SoufanCenter, a nonprofit research organization, corroborates this in a January report, indicating a significant increase in Chinese cyber intrusions in the two weeks leading up to Trump’s inauguration.
According to a study by the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies, the CCP’s doctrine stresses the importance of utilizing information to mold public opinion, sway decision-making processes, and achieve specific political and military goals.
CrowdStrike’s report reinforces these assertions, noting that the rise in cyberattacks aligns with the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) ambition for greater regional dominance.
The report highlights that the CCP’s covert cyber operations are in line with China’s goal of annexing Taiwan, a move that could potentially escalate into open military conflict with the United States.
Supporting this claim, Taiwan’s National Security Bureau released a report in early January, revealing that it faced an average of 2.4 million Chinese cyberattacks in 2024—twice the number recorded the previous year. This alarming increase underscores the heightened threat posed by China’s cyber activities and their potential implications for regional stability and international relations.
The CrowdStrike report underscores the significant role of AI in enhancing the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) cyber espionage efforts. Domestically, AI is weaponized to suppress various groups, including the Falun Gong spiritual movement, Uyghur Muslims, pro-democracy activists, and the regions of Tibet and Taiwan.
Beijing has not yet issued a formal response to the report. Historically, China tends to deny such allegations, often shifting the blame onto countries like the United States or the United Kingdom.
This denial, however, is at odds with the CCP’s own military doctrine, which heavily incorporates concepts like “information warfare” and “information-psychological operations.”
According to a study by the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies, the CCP’s doctrine stresses the importance of utilizing information to mold public opinion, sway decision-making processes, and achieve specific political and military goals.
This comprehensive approach highlights the strategic depth of China’s cyber capabilities and the growing influence of AI in these operations.
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