Chinese security officials have implicated three US National Security Agency (NSA) agents in cyberattacks during the Asian Winter Games held in Harbin, China, from February 7 to 14, 2025.
Harbin police released a statement on Weibo accusing the three NSA agents of launching attacks on “key information infrastructure” related to the Games. The individuals named are Katheryn A Wilson, Robert J. Snelling, and Stephen W Johnson, who allegedly worked in the Office of Tailored Access Operations, an NSA cyberwarfare intelligence-gathering unit.
The alleged cyberattacks targeted the event’s information release and entry-exit management systems, as well as card payments and local infrastructure between January 26 and February 14. China’s computer virus watchdog recorded more than 270,000 foreign cyberattacks on information systems related to the Asian Winter Games, with approximately two-thirds of those attacks originating from the United States.
The NSA agents are also accused of targeting Chinese companies, including Huawei, which has faced US sanctions since 2019 due to national security concerns. State news agency Xinhua reported that evidence implicates the University of California and Virginia Tech in the “coordinated campaign” against the Asian Winter Games.
Harbin police are offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of the alleged spies and are seeking cooperation from the public. The statement did not specify the nature of the reward, but China has a history of offering financial incentives to residents who provide tip-offs regarding espionage to public security organizations.
Chinese authorities have vowed to “seriously crack down on cyberattacks and the theft of state secrets against China by foreign forces.” Under Chinese law, those found guilty of espionage can face severe penalties, including life imprisonment or execution. In a recent case, a former engineer was sentenced to death for leaking state secrets to a foreign power.
