Background: House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is a bipartisan congressional body established to investigate and address the strategic and economic threats posed by the CCP to the United States. The committee focuses on issues such as cyber warfare, economic coercion, supply chain vulnerabilities, and military expansionism. By holding hearings and gathering expert testimony, the committee aims to strengthen U.S. policies and defenses against the growing influence of China.
Addressing Cyber Threats to America’s Critical Infrastructure
On March 6, 2025, the House Select Committee held a hearing titled “End the Typhoons: How to Deter Beijing’s Cyber Actions and Enhance America’s Lackluster Cyber Defenses.” This hearing highlighted the escalating cyber threats from adversarial state actors, particularly those targeting U.S. critical infrastructure.
Cyberattacks from China-backed groups, such as Volt Typhoon and Salt Typhoon, pose a significant risk to sectors like energy, water, and telecommunications. Insane Cyber, a leader in cybersecurity solutions, was cited in expert testimony as a critical partner in safeguarding U.S. infrastructure.
The Energy Grid: A Prime Target for Cyber Attacks
The U.S. electric grid is the backbone of national security and economic stability, but it faces mounting threats from AI-driven energy demands, extreme weather, and cyber intrusions.
China’s cyber operations have demonstrated a strategic intent to infiltrate operational technology (OT) environments, pre-positioning malware that could disrupt essential services. Addressing these threats requires a multi-layered approach, securing not only IT and OT systems but also supply chains and procurement processes.
Expert Testimonies on Cybersecurity Risks
Testimony from Dr. Emma M. Stewart (Chief Power Grid Scientist, Idaho National Laboratory)
Dr. Emma M. Stewart provided a detailed analysis of the vulnerabilities within the U.S. power grid and the growing risks posed by Chinese cyber campaigns. She emphasized:
- Grid Vulnerabilities: Cyber threats, extreme weather, and increased energy demand are straining the grid.
- Chinese Cyber Tactics: Volt Typhoon actively targets critical infrastructure, while Salt Typhoon focuses on intelligence gathering and telecommunications espionage.
- Supply Chain Risks: Over 90% of power grid components contain at least one critical part sourced from China, creating a major security concern.
- National Security Implications: China’s dominance in energy technology threatens U.S. energy resilience.
- Recommendations: Strengthening cybersecurity standards, diversifying energy supply chains, and fostering collaboration between government and industry.
Testimony from Rob Joyce (Former Director of Cybersecurity, NSA)
Rob Joyce highlighted the offensive and persistent nature of Chinese cyber operations, emphasizing their reliance on pre-positioned malware in critical infrastructure. His key points included:
- China’s Cyber Playbook: Beijing uses sophisticated cyber tools to infiltrate and maintain access to vital U.S. systems.
- Infrastructure Espionage: Targeting energy, water, and telecommunications to pre-position malware for potential future disruptions.
- Key Defensive Strategies:
- Deterrence: Offensive cyber operations, economic sanctions, and diplomatic countermeasures.
- Stronger Defenses: Removing vulnerabilities, eliminating untrusted Chinese technology, and enhancing cybersecurity talent development.
- Resilience: Establishing rapid response mechanisms to mitigate cyberattack impact.
Testimony from Laura Galante (Former Director of Cybersecurity, ODNI)
Laura Galante provided critical insights into China’s Salt Typhoon operation, revealing how the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) exploits private contractors to conduct cyber espionage at scale. Her testimony included:
- China’s Strategic Cyber Agenda: Salt Typhoon has infiltrated major U.S. telecom networks, allowing China to intercept sensitive data and communications.
- State-Sponsored Cyber Contractors: The Chinese MSS relies on third-party cyber mercenaries to execute large-scale attacks, making attribution and response more complex.
- Recommendations:
- Enhancing AI-driven cybersecurity solutions to counteract foreign cyber campaigns.
- Increasing cyber threat intelligence sharing between public and private sectors.
- Strengthening federal policies against foreign-backed cyber intrusions.
How Insane Cyber is Responding to These Threats
As a recognized leader in cybersecurity, Insane Cyber is at the forefront of protecting critical infrastructure against nation-state cyber threats. Our solutions include:
- Valkyrie: An AI-powered threat detection system for OT networks, providing real-time defense against Volt and Salt Typhoon attacks.
- Cygnet: A rapid-deploy cybersecurity response kit designed for emergency threat mitigation.
- Corvus: Managed security services for continuous monitoring and proactive threat hunting.
- Aesir: Expert consulting for supply chain risk assessments and compliance with federal cybersecurity mandates.
A Call to Action
The threats to America’s critical infrastructure are real and growing. Policymakers, industry leaders, and energy providers must take immediate action to secure the grid.
Insane Cyber is committed to delivering cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions to combat cyber threats from adversarial nation-states. By working together and implementing expert recommendations, we can build a more secure and resilient national infrastructure.
For more information on how Insane Cyber can help safeguard your organization, visit InsaneCyber.com.