Chinese-manufactured security cameras infiltrating America’s critical infrastructure have created a direct pipeline for foreign espionage that bypasses federal bans and threatens our nation’s energy and chemical facilities.
Story Snapshot
- Department of Homeland Security warns 12,000 Chinese cameras in U.S. critical infrastructure lack encryption and communicate directly with manufacturers in China
- Camera deployments increased 40% despite 2022 FCC import bans, with manufacturers evading restrictions through white-labeling tactics
- March 2024 incident revealed cameras at oil and gas facilities connecting to China-based servers linked to state-sponsored actors
- Vulnerabilities enable foreign actors to access networks, steal data, suppress safety alarms, and potentially disable critical systems
Chinese Cameras Evade Federal Bans Through Deceptive Tactics
A Department of Homeland Security bulletin reveals approximately 12,000 Chinese-manufactured internet-connected cameras have infiltrated hundreds of U.S. critical infrastructure entities as of early 2024. These cameras, produced by companies like Hikvision and Dahua, lack basic encryption and automatically communicate with Chinese manufacturers by default. Despite the FCC’s 2022 ban on importing these specific brands, deployments surged 40 percent from 2023 through white-labeling schemes that repackage banned equipment under non-Chinese brand names. This regulatory evasion demonstrates how foreign adversaries exploit commercial loopholes to maintain surveillance footholds in sensitive American facilities.
Direct Communications With Chinese State Actors Discovered
In March 2024, security officials tracked cameras installed at a U.S. oil and gas company actively communicating with China-based servers, including one server directly linked to People’s Republic of China state-sponsored actors. DHS analysts warn these unencrypted devices serve as entry points for cyber operations extending far beyond simple surveillance. Foreign intelligence services can leverage camera access to pivot into operational technology and information technology systems, enabling data exfiltration, alarm suppression, and potential disruption of safety systems protecting workers and surrounding communities. This represents exactly the kind of supply chain vulnerability that undermines American sovereignty and puts lives at risk.
Years-Long Campaign Targets American Infrastructure
Chinese state-sponsored cyber actors have systematically targeted vulnerabilities in these cameras since at least 2020, according to intelligence assessments from DHS and the FBI. The HiatusRAT malware campaign, active since 2022, specifically exploited Chinese-made webcams and digital video recorders, including attacks on U.S. defense servers. These incidents parallel broader People’s Republic of China cyber operations like Salt Typhoon, which compromised U.S. internet service providers affecting over one million users in 2024. The pattern reveals coordinated espionage efforts capitalizing on American reliance on cheap Chinese technology across energy, chemical, and telecommunications sectors where national security hangs in the balance.
Replacement Efforts Struggle Against Persistent Threats
Federal authorities have funded replacement of over one million Dahua and Hikvision cameras prioritized by risk assessment, building on 2018 restrictions that banned these devices from government facilities. However, white-labeling continues undermining enforcement as DHS officials acknowledge needing broader detection tools to identify repackaged Chinese equipment for FCC action. The replacement initiative, announced in 2023 and ongoing throughout 2024, faces logistical challenges and costs that slow removal of compromised hardware from critical infrastructure. This situation exemplifies government overreach failures from the previous administration that allowed Chinese penetration to deepen while American businesses unknowingly deployed surveillance equipment serving foreign intelligence services. Patriots must demand accountability and complete purging of these threats from facilities protecting American energy independence and industrial capacity.
Sources:
Internet-connected cameras made in China may be used to spy on US infrastructure: DHS
DHS warns Chinese-made internet cameras pose espionage threat to US critical infrastructure
Managing the Risks of China’s Access to US Data and Control of Software and Connected Technology
