Congress inquires about Chinese spying risks from cargo cranes: Report

Lawmakers in the U.S. Congress are calling for access to classified and unclassified documents from the Department of Homeland Security that would highlight possible security vulnerabilities posed by Chinese-made cranes used in ports across the country.

Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, Mark Green, expressed concern about the fact that 80% of U.S. port cranes incorporate Chinese software that has links to the People’s Liberation Army. Green and other lawmakers have requested information on possible security risks that these cranes could pose to cybersecurity and the country’s critical infrastructure. They are asking for documents that indicate any risk assessment and the measures taken by DHS to address any concerns raised. The Committee aims to hold public and closed-door hearings on these matter by April 18.

Although U.S. officials have said that there is currently no evidence of nefarious activities by the Chinese government using these cranes at American ports, there is fear that the software could be employed to manipulate or observe port operations. However, Chinese officials dismissed the concerns as an attempt to obstruct trade between the two countries.

The lawmakers have further pointed out that exploitation of the operational technology systems of these cranes could lead to port operations being shut down, with potential catastrophic economic and security consequences. With ports in the U.S. facilitating up to $5.4 trillion worth of commercial and military transactions each year, such vulnerabilities could present an opportunity for China and other nations to disrupt these operations behind a computer screen.