US Agencies Warn of Chinese Spyware Threat in American Healthcare Sector
TL/DR –
Chinese products used in U.S. healthcare, including patient monitors, internet-connected cameras, DNA sequencers, and WiFi routers, are under scrutiny for potential spying. U.S. agencies, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), have issued warnings, stating that these devices could allow remote data theft and device modification. Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI), a Chinese genetic sequencing firm, has been blacklisted by the Department of Defense due to concerns about data diversion to China’s military programs.
Chinese Spyware Threats to U.S. Healthcare
U.S. federal agencies raise concerns over the presence of Chinese spyware in American healthcare systems, ranging from patient monitors to internet-connected cameras, DNA sequencers, and WiFi routers. They warn of potential backdoor access by the Chinese state to confidential U.S. healthcare data.
Chinese companies operating in the U.S. face conflicting legal requirements. U.S. laws mandate data privacy, while Chinese laws insist on support for intelligence work. Addressing this issue requires a collective effort from U.S. policymakers, law enforcement, and corporations to eliminate Chinese Communist Party (CCP) spyware from the U.S. healthcare sector.
U.S. healthcare devices made by Chinese companies have raised suspicions. A February fact sheet by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns of backdoor functionalities in Chinese patient monitors that could lead to data breaches and device alteration.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) warns that internet-connected Chinese cameras could facilitate Chinese espionage and disruption of U.S. critical infrastructure, including the healthcare and public health sector.
Beijing’s aim for dominance in genetic sequencing technologies poses a significant risk. The Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) is under scrutiny by the Department of Defense as a Chinese Military Company operating in the U.S. and the Department of Commerce for posing a risk of diverting genetic data to China’s military programs.
Leaders of the House Select Committee on the CCP, Congressmen John Moolenaar and Raja Krishnamoorthi, highlighted the criticality of U.S. IP and medical data for China’s military medical infrastructure.
Chinese TP-Link wireless routers have drawn attention for their potential security vulnerabilities. Rob Joyce, former director of cybersecurity at the National Security Agency, stated that these routers could expose individuals and businesses to cyber-intrusions that could be exploited for attacks on critical infrastructure.
Under China’s 2017 National Intelligence Law and other party-state security measures, Chinese companies are mandated to serve the Communist Party surveillance state. The Intelligence Law obligates entities to assist in carrying out a variety of intelligence work.
Exposing and resolving these contradictions calls for a united effort from President Trump, Congress, state leaders, and the courts. The focus should be on assessing and reducing the exposure of American healthcare to insecure CCP technologies, and eliminating technologies that pose data risks. States like Idaho and Tennessee have already banned Chinese genetic sequencers, with several other states considering similar measures.
State Attorneys General are advised to scrutinize Chinese products that make false security and data privacy claims. American companies that resell flawed Chinese products under an American brand should face increased scrutiny. Protecting American consumers and patients is of paramount importance.
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