Three Buddy Problem Rethinking APT Attribution: Dakota Cary on Chinese Contractors and Espionage-as-a-Service
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Aug 1, 2025 Dakota Cary, a China-focused consultant at SentinelOne and a fellow at the Atlantic Council, dives deep into the dark waters of China's cyber ecosystem. He sheds light on APT contractors and their links to espionage-as-a-service. The discussion reveals the intricate ties between hackers and the state security apparatus, complicating attribution efforts. Cary reflects on the need for a cultural shift in U.S. intelligence to tackle these evolving threats while also examining the geopolitical fallout of recent cyber intrusions targeting places like Singapore.
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Measuring Cyber Advantage
- Whether China is "kicking our ass" depends on whether their intelligence requirements are fully met.
- China's vast contractor model enables broader targeting, raising questions about U.S. offensive capability sufficiency.
Bid Out Intel Requirements
- The U.S. should consider commercially bidding out inferable intelligence requirements to private offensive hackers.
- This acceptance can foster a scalable offensive cyber ecosystem similar to China’s model.
Chinese Attacks Often Fail
- Chinese cyber intrusions largely fail due to mismatches in perceived versus actual objectives.
- There is a notable lack of new publicly named Chinese APT groups compared to other nations.
