US officials believe China is preparing cyberweapons to distract or paralyze the country during a future conflict. (CBS News)
Retired four-star Gen. Tim Haugh—former NSA and US Cyber Command head—said Chinese state hackers have penetrated US networks at “an astonishing scale,” targeting basic services like water, electricity, transportation, and telecommunications.
Investigators discovered Chinese access at hundreds of local utilities, including a small water plant in Littleton, Massachusetts, where hackers could have manipulated chemical controls to poison the town’s water. “If they’ll go after Littleton,” Haugh said, “every target is on the list.”
The White House says it’s assessing the damage, but Haugh warns that America’s defenses are stretched thin—and that failing to dominate in cyberspace could hand Beijing an edge in both war and the economy.