China's National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center (CVERC) unveiled comprehensive findings on July 8 regarding the alleged China-backed Volt Typhoon cyber campaign. The investigation highlights a sophisticated disinformation effort orchestrated by U.S. intelligence agencies in collaboration with anti-China politicians and cybersecurity authorities from the Five Eyes nations.
The campaign aimed to amplify the \"China cyber threat theory,\" primarily to sustain warrantless surveillance capabilities under Section 702 of the U.S. Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). This initiative seeks to maintain the U.S.'s cyber dominance by justifying extensive electronic monitoring of global communications.
Last May, a U.S. court ruled that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had repeatedly violated legal protocols by improperly accessing a U.S. foreign intelligence database approximately 278,000 times over several years. These searches included data on American citizens, carried out without a reasonable expectation of uncovering foreign intelligence or criminal evidence. This judgment has fueled criticism over the FBI's misuse of authority and underscored the urgent need to limit such overreaches.
Despite these revelations, U.S. intelligence maintains that the law permits intelligence collection on foreign targets located overseas and categorically denies any authority to target Americans within the U.S. However, incidents like the FBI's improper surveillance of Black Lives Matter protesters, congressional campaign donors, and U.S. lawmakers have cast significant doubt on the integrity of these surveillance programs.
Adding to the controversy, the U.S. Senate reauthorized the contentious spy program in April, allowing intelligence agencies to conduct electronic eavesdropping and collect communications without obtaining judicial warrants. This move has sparked further debate over privacy rights and the ethical implications of unchecked surveillance.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
