For the past twelve months we have been digging into China’s cyber security industry, tracking the individuals and companies sanctioned by the British and United States government and those accused of being behind some of the most audacious and sophisticated cyberattacks in recent years.
In that search, all roads led us to Chengdu. It is a city in southern China, popular for its laid-back lifestyle, Giant Pandas and spicy Sichuan food. But we were interested in its alternative reputation as China’s hacking capital.
It turns out that Chengdu’s universities were the first in China to offer degrees in cyber security. For the past two decades its elite institutions have been producing thousands of graduates that have gone on to start companies and developed the espionage skills which have become so prized by the Chinese Communist government.
The first leads we pursued were from the British company Sophos. When they suffered a series of cyberattacks starting in 2018, they set out to find those responsible. After a five-year long game of cat and mouse with their attackers, the company produced a report called ‘Pacific Rim’, which named sources in Chengdu.
Source: ITV