Cyber showdown: US-China rivalry escalates into new battlefield

As tensions between the US and China escalate into cyber warfare, experts warn of increasing risks to critical infrastructures globally; With AI-enhanced attacks and rising accessibility to malicious tools, nations must strengthen defenses to counter sophisticated and widespread digital threats 

Daniela Ginzburg|
The geopolitical conflict between China and the United States, which in recent days has escalated into an outright trade war with the imposition of mutual tariffs, has long since extended beyond the realms of economics or diplomacy. It is now developing into a new, yet familiar battleground: the world of cyber warfare.
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דונלד טראמפ ושי ג'ינפינג בוועידת ה-G20
דונלד טראמפ ושי ג'ינפינג בוועידת ה-G20
Trump and Xi Jinping at the G20
(Photo: AP)

Total infrastructure shutdown, courtesy of Beijing

China possesses the capability, resources and motivation not only to access information and data but also to infiltrate and disrupt critical national infrastructures in the U.S. and other Western nations. The goal: To create a "balance of terror" in its favor and even acquire the physical capability to paralyze entire nations if necessary.
Imagine a reality where, in a single moment, hospital systems are disabled, electricity fails across entire cities, and water infrastructure begins to collapse. While it requires a high level of sophistication to penetrate such systems, which are often well-protected, we are repeatedly reminded that an entire system can sometimes collapse due to a single vulnerability, especially in the age of artificial intelligence.
The literal meaning of terrorism is the creation of fear and panic. To disrupt an airport, for example, sow confusion and cause extensive economic damage, it is not necessary to hack into the control tower. Merely disrupting the function of scanning machines can trigger chaos on its own.
This is not a futuristic scenario. One recent example involved a group known as Salt Typhoon, a hacking group attributed to Chinese government cyber operations. The group managed to penetrate U.S. government communication networks using outdated home routers. However, the activity of this group represents merely the tip of the iceberg. For every group that is caught, there are dozens of others operating quietly, gathering intelligence, preparing systems for future disruption, and simply waiting for the right moment.
“We call this the ‘red button,’” Offir Levy, vice president of the cyber security company Claroty, told Ynet. “State-sponsored attackers don’t always immediately disable systems. Instead, they infiltrate, remain in the background, study the structure and, when the time is right, with the push of a single button, they can paralyze entire systems and harm nations.”
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מנכ"ל טיקטוק שו זי צ'ו
מנכ"ל טיקטוק שו זי צ'ו
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew
(Photo: Kevin Lamarque, AP)
However, cyber warfare is not solely about attacks — it’s also about defense. A key aspect of the battle is understanding the strategies of both sides. Unlike China or Russia, the U.S. refrains from targeting civilian infrastructure to intentionally incite panic. Instead, its approach to defense involves exposing the identities of attackers and the tools they use.
This is achieved through tracking hacker infrastructure, applying targeted sanctions, conducting counterattacks, and even arresting individuals involved in cyberattacks. “The holy grail of cyber defense is uncovering the attackers’ tools,” Levy explains. “Once we understand how they operate, we can neutralize their tools in other organizations as well.”
One of the most well-known examples in history is Stuxnet, a malicious software that caused significant damage to Iran's nuclear program. According to foreign reports, the entity responsible for this attack (widely attributed to Israel, according to foreign sources) managed to disrupt critical systems without anyone realizing they had been attacked.
Israel is one of the most targeted countries in the world when it comes to cyberattacks. Groups associated with Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah have repeatedly attempted to attack critical infrastructure in Israel in recent years. In 2020, for instance, Iranian hackers attempted to disrupt the country’s water systems by manipulating chlorine levels – a breach that was thwarted at the last moment.
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The current period represents a boiling point. The inauguration of Donald Trump, coupled with the tariffs he has imposed on China, has placed the American-Chinese rivalry center stage in the global arena. According to industry experts, the escalating tensions between the two nations are already spilling over into the digital realm.
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ראוטר
ראוטר
(Photo: shutterstock)
At the same time, the introduction of artificial intelligence into the cyber world is making attackers more dangerous and efficient than ever. And this isn’t just about state-level attacks. Even now, one can find malicious software on various Telegram channels, pay a nominal fee, and obtain software capable of launching personalized attacks. For example, an attacker could input 200 names and request that the system generate a custom malicious email for each person based on their personality.

Cyber attacks specified for certain individuals

Another type of software can scan social networks, identify hobbies and track online activity—all to create highly personalized attacks with significantly higher success rates. “In the past, launching such attacks required an advanced hacker with extensive knowledge. Today, anyone with a credit card and a few spare minutes can become a potential attacker,” Levy explains.
Despite attackers often having the upper hand in cyber warfare, there are ways to reduce risk. “Israel is one of the countries with the best cyber defenses in the world,” says Levy. “Regulations here are considered stringent in certain sectors, and the level of organizational preparedness is relatively high compared to other countries.”
“2025 will be a challenging year,” he concludes. “The attacks will be more sophisticated, and we cannot afford to be one step behind. But if there’s one thing we know how to do in Israel, it’s turning our biggest challenges into opportunities to lead the world. However, doing so requires continuous investment in technology and the exceptional human capital we have here.”
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