MSS Claims NSA Used 42 Cyber Tools in Multi-Stage Attack on Beijing Time Systems

The MSS has claimed that the U.S. National Security Agency conducted a multi-stage cyber operation targeting the National Time Service Center (NTSC) in Beijing Time, with activity dating back to 25 March 2022. According to details shared in the WeChat post, the NSA allegedly exploited security flaws in an unnamed foreign brand’s SMS service to compromise mobile devices belonging to NTSC staff and steal sensitive data.

The MSS said that on 18 April the following year it alleged the agency used stolen login credentials to break into NTSC computers, and that between August 2023 and June 2024 a new “cyber warfare platform” was deployed. The platform is said to have activated 42 specialized tools to mount high‑intensity attacks against multiple internal NTSC network systems, including attempts at lateral movement toward a high‑precision ground‑based timing system with the aim of disrupting it.

Attacks reportedly used VPS servers based in the U.S., Europe, and Asia to route traffic and obfuscate origins, with forging of digital certificates and strong encryption cited as methods. The MSS said China’s security agencies neutralised the attack and that the U.S. has pursued persistent cyber operations against China and other regions.