The Chinese group was caught targeting EU diplomatic missions in 2022, then cited the following year by ENISA as a key threat. In 2025, it was also found to have spied on Russian defense and aerospace firms.

Shipping is a particularly vulnerable industry where disruptive cyberattacks could have major knock-on effects on trade. China has previously shown an interest in how Western shipping companies operate, particularly as shipping routes in the Middle East become more difficult to navigate. 

In an earlier report, ENISA included maritime as being in the “risk zone.” On Tuesday, the cyber agency concluded that: “Transport, including maritime, and logistics targeting is particularly interesting as it pertains to economic and political considerations, especially when contextualised within geopolitical developments.”