In a startling shift in global cyber conflict dynamics, China has reportedly admitted to directing cyberattacks on United States infrastructure. As reported by The Register on April 14, 2025, this admission marks a rare and significant moment in the typically opaque world of state-sponsored cyber operations.
The acknowledgement came from a high-ranking official who confirmed Beijing’s involvement in digital operations targeting U.S. critical infrastructure systems, an action believed to be part of broader geopolitical maneuvering. While few details were provided, the implications for American business owners—especially those in manufacturing, utilities, healthcare, logistics, and defense supply chains—are profound.
This isn't a far-off threat. These state-sponsored operations increasingly target not just government systems, but private sector networks—often small to mid-sized businesses that lack the sophisticated security infrastructure of larger enterprises. It’s time for a fundamental change in how organizations protect themselves.
Why “Detect and Respond” Is No Longer Enough
Most cybersecurity solutions today operate under the “Detect and Respond” model. In theory, this means identifying malicious behavior and then taking action. In practice, it often means damage has already been done by the time the response is triggered.
Advanced persistent threats (APTs), zero-day exploits, and now even AI-generated malware are frequently slipping through detection-based defenses undetected. And when the attacker is a nation-state, they come equipped with resources that can overwhelm even the most robust detect-and-respond platforms.
Once attackers are inside, they move laterally, escalate privileges, exfiltrate data, or disable security tools—often without setting off a single alert until it’s too late. It’s not just a possibility. It’s a pattern.
The recent admission from China confirms what many cybersecurity professionals have feared: some of the most aggressive, well-funded attacks are already inside our networks or well on their way.
Isolation and Containment: The New Standard in Endpoint Protection
What’s needed is a shift in mindset—from reactive to proactive, from chasing malware to containing it.
That’s where AppGuard comes in.
AppGuard is a proven endpoint protection solution that has been quietly defending high-risk environments—including government agencies and defense contractors—for over a decade. Now available for commercial use, AppGuard doesn’t wait to detect malicious behavior. It prevents it from executing in the first place.
Unlike traditional antivirus or EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) solutions, AppGuard works on a policy of prevention through containment. It isolates processes so that even if malware somehow makes it onto a device, it cannot launch, spread, or do harm.
This approach protects against:
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Zero-day exploits
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Fileless malware
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Malicious macros
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Supply chain attacks
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Living-off-the-land (LotL) techniques
It’s a solution that assumes breach—and acts to stop it before it begins.
State-Sponsored Attacks Aren’t Going Away—They’re Escalating
The reality is this: If a foreign government can successfully penetrate U.S. infrastructure, no business—regardless of size or industry—is immune.
Small and mid-sized businesses are often the soft underbelly of the cybersecurity landscape. They frequently serve as entry points for larger supply chain attacks. Even if you aren’t a direct target, you can become collateral damage.
This is no longer a scenario for the “what if” file. It’s happening now. As geopolitical tensions increase, cyberattacks are no longer just a cost of doing business—they’re a matter of national resilience.
What Can You Do?
It’s time to evolve. It’s time to rethink how we defend the digital doors to our businesses.
At CHIPS, we’ve partnered with AppGuard because we believe in a better way to protect our clients. A way that doesn’t rely on hope, alerts, or after-the-fact cleanups. A way that proactively prevents cyber incidents before they even begin.
If you're a business owner—especially one responsible for critical operations, sensitive data, or supply chain connectivity—don’t wait for an alert that comes too late. Let's talk about how AppGuard can protect your organization by moving you from a “Detect and Respond” model to one of “Isolation and Containment.”
Talk with us at CHIPS today about how AppGuard can help prevent the next cyber incident before it starts. Your infrastructure, your reputation, and your business deserve nothing less.
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