Chinese state actors have made widespread — and likely successful — efforts to access British critical infrastructure networks, according to UK officials, underscoring fears of vulnerabilities to increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks by foreign powers.

Senior ministers in the Labour government have been informed since taking power in July that hackers linked to Beijing have probably compromised supply chains and computer systems key to a range of vital services, people with direct knowledge of the matter told Bloomberg. Such Chinese activity is systemic and goes beyond the alleged attacks on Parliament and the Defense Ministry made public in the past year, said the people, who requested anonymity to discuss national security matters.