A cybersecurity specialist has issued a stark warning that China poses the most significant technological danger to Western nations , with the capability to even activate a ‘killswitch’ on America’s electrical infrastructure whenever it chooses.
Following this revelation, America has launched multiple investigations into Chinese-manufactured technology, with several studies uncovering ‘malicious, mysterious computer codes’ that can be remotely activated to cripple vital infrastructure including natural gas pipelines and power grids.
Arnie Bellini, co-founder and former chief executive of ConnectWise, believes this represents the gravest threat facing America, given that Chinese technology firms frequently maintain close ties with Chinese Communist Party officials – a regime that has repeatedly declared its intention to weaken the US and Western nations.
Bellini has issued a stark warning about the risks of integrating Chinese technology into critical infrastructure, stating: “Iran is a great warm up for what we will face from China. It’s the fact that we’re buying equipment from China. We’re already putting it into our infrastructure, which already has the capability to ‘call back’ to Beijing, flip the switch, and turn it off, and we’re putting it in our water supply systems and our electric systems.
“We’re using them for video surveillance cameras… not good. None of that’s good. So the Chinese manufacturers-I don’t think a lot of people understand exactly how China operates, but it’s very interesting and very simple – It’s like all the large manufacturers, almost all of them, the ones that you’re really buying products from, they’re all partially funded or sponsored by the government.”
“They’ve got government subsidies. They have government officials on their board of directors. And that’s not so strange in a country except for the fact that this is a communist party who has vowed to take down the United States of America. It has no ethics.
Boody traps
“You cannot believe anything they say. They lie all the time. They cheat and they steal. They’re liars, cheaters, and stealers – their government, their people are wonderful, I love them. The government has been lying, cheating, and stealing from its own people forever.
“They’ve put all of these built-in booby traps and built-in ‘call to Beijing’ functions in a lot of the stuff that we’re buying.”
Allegations concerning products containing kill switches or spyware encompass various items including industrial Robot Dogs from Unitree Go1, ship-to-shore cranes (ZPMC), solar inverters and batteries, bluetooth/Wi-Fi chips (ESP32 by Espressif), surveillance cameras (Hikvision & Dahua), transformers, and electrical infrastructure.
Concealed backdoor
Security experts uncovered a concealed backdoor in Unitree Robotics’ Go1 robot dogs, manufactured in China, during April of this year. This backdoor represents a covert software component that enables secret remote access and command of the devices.
Upon internet connection, the robot automatically creates a link to Unitree’s servers via a tunnel service operated by CloudSail, a remote management platform from Zhexi Technology. This hidden pathway permits remote operation, camera infiltration, and system penetration through an API key.
The matter of power converters proves especially concerning as “kill switches” could enable Beijing to disable electricity grids and cause widespread blackouts throughout the West. Power inverters serve as vital components that transform direct current (DC) generated by solar panels or wind turbines into alternating current (AC) utilised by electrical grids.
Solar kill switches
These ‘kill switch’ programmes have been discovered in equipment at American solar installations. In 2023, U.S. officials expressed increasing unease over Chinese-manufactured cranes, specifically those produced by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co. (ZPMC).
These cranes are operational in numerous American ports, some of which hold military significance, according to the WSJ.
These cranes come equipped with advanced sensors and software designed to track and manage containers. The concern among U.S. officials is that these features could be manipulated to monitor the movement of sensitive cargo, including military equipment, thereby providing China with insights into U.S. logistics and military operations.
Business continues despite risks
Over recent years, many of these cranes have been sold off or returned due to these security concerns. However, Bellini notes that many of these products are purchased or sold by US companies who, keen to avoid making a ‘big stink’, continue to import these cost-saving items.
Bellini has voiced support for President Donald Trump’s initiative to ramp up domestic production, aiming to reduce reliance on imported technology. “Thankfully, the Trump administration recognizes this and is doing something about it,” Bellini stated.
“We can’t secure America with infrastructure made by our adversaries. Every transformer, crane, or camera built in China is a potential listening device or kill switch. We need a national strategy that builds our own defenses literally and digitally.”
The Department of Homeland Security even maintains a webpage to track such security breaches.
Despite ongoing efforts and thorough investigations, Bellini warns that the threat of digital espionage from China remains persistent. “We’re buying it, right? We’re implementing it ourselves. We’re opening up the gates and we’re rolling in the Trojan horse.”