The U.S. Navy was impacted by the Chinese state-sponsored hack disclosed by Microsoft earlier this week, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro advised CNBC’s Morgan Brennan on Thursday.

Del Toro mentioned the U.S. Navy “has been impacted” by the cyberattacks, including that it was “no shock that China has been behaving on this method, not only for the final couple years, however for many years.”

He declined to offer additional element on the incursion however prompt that the Navy had been contending with cyberattacks like this for years.

Microsoft issued a warning alongside high intelligence businesses and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency on Wednesday, alerting company and public enterprises {that a} refined Chinese state-backed hacking group had efficiently exploited a vulnerability in a well-liked cybersecurity suite.

The vulnerability, which was exploited by a gaggle codenamed “Volt Typhoon,” impacts important cyber infrastructure throughout a variety of industries, Microsoft mentioned Wednesday. Microsoft famous that the Chinese hackers had focused communications and maritime sectors in Guam, which is dwelling to a key U.S. army base.

The hacking group seems to have been targeted on surveillance, somewhat than disruption, Microsoft famous. But high intelligence officers and researchers expressed concern that Guam had been focused, telling The New York Times that the island territory can be essential to keeping off a long-feared invasion of Taiwan by China.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry and state-controlled press have dismissed the findings from Microsoft and the intelligence neighborhood as “disinformation.”

Earlier on Thursday, a State Department spokesperson mentioned it was very important for each the authorities and the public to remain vigilant. “We will proceed to work with our allies and companions to handle this important challenge,” spokesperson Matthew Miller mentioned at a briefing.