Tories need to toughen up over China hacking
...says former Conservative leader
TORY ministers have been branded feeble as the security services revealed China accessed the personal details of millions of voters.
Hackers linked to Beijing got hold of the names and addresses of over 40 million people on the electoral roll, and attempted to access the emails of 43 MPs and peers.
Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith urged Britain to be “much stronger and tougher”.
He went on: “The lesson we learned from the 1930s is appeasement never works. If you’re strong, you tell them what’s wrong and you tell them you’re not going to put up with it, then eventually they will probably back down.”
The Government blames China for the massive cyber attack on the Electoral Commission in August 2021, only made public last year. In a separate attack, the intelligence agencies found Chinese hacking gang APT31 tried, but failed, to breach Parliament’s computer network.
Deputy PM Oliver Dowden announced sanctions against two people and a firm associated with APT31.
But ex-Cabinet Minister Robert Jenrick called the response “feeble”. And SNP MP Stewart Malcolm McDonald told the Commons: “The Deputy PM has turned up to a gun fight with a wooden spoon.”
The National Cyber Security Centre, part of GCHQ, said it was “highly likely” the information would be used for spying.
It is working to prevent an attack impacting the general election.
The Chinese government denied the attacks, calling the claims “completely fabricated and malicious slanders”.
We learned in the 30s, appeasing just does not work
IAIN DUNCAN SMITH WARNS ABOUT CHINA