Ethical Hacking News
Feds Probing Salt Typhoon Amid Trump Hack Report, Investigation Yields Uncertainty
The US government has launched an investigation into Chinese government-linked cyberspies who have been targeting the infrastructure of major telecom companies. The probe follows reports suggesting that Salt Typhoon, a crew believed to be behind those hacks, has also been snooping on phones belonging to people affiliated with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, as well as Republican candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance.
The US government has launched an investigation into Chinese government-linked cyberspies who have been targeting major telecom companies. The investigation follows reports suggesting that Salt Typhoon, a crew believed to be behind those hacks, has also been snooping on phones belonging to high-profile individuals. US lawmakers are demanding answers from affected companies about the breaches and their plans to secure systems. The FBI and CISA have notified affected companies and shared information to assist potential victims. The investigation is ongoing, and organizations are urged to engage with local FBI field offices or CISA if they believe they might be a victim.
The US government has launched an investigation into Chinese government-linked cyberspies who have been targeting the infrastructure of major telecom companies. The probe follows reports suggesting that Salt Typhoon, a crew believed to be behind those hacks, has also been snooping on phones belonging to people affiliated with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, as well as Republican candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance.
According to sources, the FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have immediately notified affected companies, provided technical assistance, and rapidly shared information to assist potential victims. The US government agencies' alert does not name the affected companies, but earlier news stories suggest they include Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen Technologies.
All three companies involved - Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen Technologies - have thus far declined to comment on the investigation as well as the alleged breaches during which Salt Typhoon reportedly hacked into their broadband providers' wiretapping systems. US lawmakers have since demanded that these firms answer questions about when they discovered the Chinese spies on their networks, and what they are doing to better secure their systems.
"The investigation is ongoing, and we encourage any organization that believes it might be a victim to engage its local FBI field office or CISA," the Friday security advisory continued. "Agencies across the US Government are collaborating to aggressively mitigate this threat and are coordinating with our industry partners to strengthen cyber defenses across the commercial communications sector."
This investigation comes as reports suggest that Salt Typhoon has also been snooping on phones belonging to both American presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, along with JD Vance. According to The New York Times, Republican nominee and former US president Donald Trump, along with his VP choice JD Vance, were both made aware that Salt Typhoon had targeted their phones after infiltrating Verizon's systems.
Plus, people affiliated with Vice President Kamala Harris, who is running on the Democratic presidential ticket, have also been targeted by the same group of hackers, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Times reported several prominent Democrats in Congress, including staff for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York), were also among those whose devices may have been compromised.
It's unclear what, if anything, the cyber snoops stole during the espionage operations. At this point in the investigation, it's believed that Salt Typhoon targeted or compromised at least several dozen companies and people.
"They're taunting us," one person involved in the response told the WSJ, adding that this hacking operation marked a "new frontier" in the Chinese government's cyber activities against the US. This comes as there has been an uptick in cyberattacks that both government and private investigators have tied to the People's Republic of China.
Last month, FBI Director Christopher Wray said that US law enforcement disrupted a 260,000-device botnet controlled by China's Flax Typhoon. During at least two occasions over the past year, as recently as August and then originally in February, a different cyberspy gang, Volt Typhoon, was spotted snooping on American networks and across critical infrastructure while readying "disruptive or destructive cyberattacks."
For its part, China has repeatedly denied these accusations and claimed that Volt Typhoon is an invention of the US and its allies. This investigation into Salt Typhoon highlights the evolving landscape of global cyber threats and the increasing sophistication of Chinese hackers.
As law enforcement agencies continue to investigate this incident, they are urging organizations to engage with their local FBI field offices or CISA if they believe they might be a victim. The US government agencies' collaboration with industry partners is also critical in strengthening cyber defenses across the commercial communications sector.
In conclusion, this investigation into Salt Typhoon has brought to light the ongoing challenges posed by Chinese hackers, who are increasingly adept at breaching critical infrastructure and compromising sensitive information. As law enforcement agencies continue to pursue those responsible for these acts of espionage, they must remain vigilant in their efforts to mitigate this threat and protect US national security.
Related Information:
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/10/28/feds_investigate_chinas_salt_typhoon/
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/feds-investigate-chinas-salt-typhoon-amid-campaign-phone-hacks/ar-AA1t5oBl
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-investigating-hack-major-telecom-companies-by-china/
Published: Mon Oct 28 16:08:07 2024 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
