Silent Battle at the Ports: China as the Trojan Horse for the U.S. Economy!

Sea News – International Service – U.S. officials have warned of potential cybersecurity threats from the use of Chinese-made cranes at key ports in the country. According to American security experts, cranes manufactured by the Chinese company ZPMC, installed at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, could be used as surveillance tools or even to disrupt the U.S. economy.

A U.S. Congressional report revealed that over 80% of loading and unloading cranes at U.S. ports are manufactured by ZPMC, a Chinese state-owned company. The report indicated that some of these cranes are equipped with hidden modems that could bypass security firewalls and allow remote control by unknown parties.

Gary Herrera, president of the Port Workers Union, stated that although the automation of these cranes has reduced costs, it has also created significant vulnerabilities. He warned, “If these cranes are hacked, the country’s supply chain for food and essential goods will be disrupted.”

Chris Krebs, cybersecurity advisor and former director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), described this threat as the greatest current cybersecurity risk to the U.S. He said, “China is ready for war. Are we ready?”

The U.S. government has allocated $20 billion to improve port security and replace these cranes to mitigate the threat. U.S. officials have also called for the use of American-made equipment at the country’s ports.

Source: CBS News