China Accuses NSA of Targeting Time Service

China’s Ministry of State Security accused the U.S. National Security Agency of carrying out long-term, systematic cyberattacks on the National Time Service Center, saying it found evidence of stolen data and credentials dating from March 2022 through 2024. The ministry said the NSA exploited a vulnerability in the messaging service of an unnamed foreign smartphone brand to harvest employee login data, used dozens of “special cyberattack weapons” against internal networks, and attempted to infiltrate high‑precision ground‑based timing systems. Beijing warned that successful breaches could have disrupted communications, financial systems, power grids, transportation, aerospace launches and even international timekeeping. The ministry posted the accusations on its WeChat account and said authorities have severed attack chains and upgraded protections. The U.S. had not immediately commented; the allegations come amid broader U.S.–China tensions over trade, technology and cyberespionage.