China's offensive cyber operations in Africa to support soft power efforts

SentinelOne has revealed that Chinese state-sponsored cyber groups have targeted telecommunications, financial and government organizations in Africa, as part of Beijing's soft power efforts in the region. These groups aimed to provide a competitive advantage or gain permanent technical access for intelligence gathering, thus highlighting China's interest in international business negotiations and strategic intelligence gathering.

The Chinese cyber group BackdoorDiplomacy is being monitored on the African continent

SentinelOne has been tracking a China-connected APT group called BackdoorDiplomacy, which has been targeting Africa for several years. This group has orchestrated major cyber espionage campaigns in various African countries, including South Africa, Kenya, Senegal, and Ethiopia. According to Reuters, the group targeted the Kenyan government in order to gather information on the debt the country owes to China.

China has invested heavily in Africa's telecommunications infrastructure

Chinese investments in telecommunications in Africa, through companies such as Huawei and ZTE, have ensured a strong reliance on Chinese technology on the continent. This not only contributes to China's economic enrichment, but also allows the country to shape policies and narratives aligned with its geostrategic ambitions, thus establishing a strong position in Africa's digital evolution.

Other China-connected threat actors are targeting Africa

In addition to the BackdoorDiplomacy group, other China-connected threat actors, such as FamousSparrow and Earth Estries, have targeted Africa. These groups have demonstrated a focused intent to support Chinese interests on the African continent. These attacks highlight the strategic importance of Africa to China, which seeks to expand its influence in the region through offensive cyber operations.