US Telecoms Customer Data Stolen By Chinese Hackers

Uploaded on 2024-12-05 in TECHNOLOGY--Hackers, INTELLIGENCE-Hot Spots-China, INTELLIGENCE--USA, FREE TO VIEW, BUSINESS-Services-IT & Telecoms

The US has been suffering a growing number of large-scale cyber attacks, apparently conducted by Chinese stare-sponsored hackers, with links to or directed by, China’s national intelligence agencies. Indeed, leaders of the top US telecommunications companies were recently called to the White House to discuss how to expel Chinese hackers from the nation’s communications networks.

Now, a large amount of US telecoms companies' customer metadata has been stolen in the sweeping espionage campaign carried out by a group being called Salt Typhoon. Although specific details are unavailable, according to reports, the hackers gained widespread access to US national telecommunications infrastructure, including several leading broadband providers.

The US cyber defence agencies, CISA, the National Security Agency (NSA), and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have confirmed that Chinese state-sponsored cyber actors have compromised the IT environments of multiple critical infrastructure organisations. This breach is not an isolated event but part of a broader strategy to disrupt and weaken America’s operational capabilities in the event of conflict.

China’s cyber operations have grown into sophisticated campaigns targeting critical infrastructure.

It is thought that the hacking group known as Salt Typhoon, operating under Chinese direction, infiltrated US Internet providers and has been gaining access to systems essential to the US national security. "We believe a large number of Americans' metadata was taken," said an official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity. "We do not believe it's every cell phone in the country, but we believe it's potentially a large number of individuals that the Chinese government was focused on." the official said.

Dozens of companies across the world had been hit by the hackers, including at least eight US telecommunications and telecom infrastructure firms

The official said the White House had made tackling the Salt Typhoon hackers a priority for the federal government and that outgoing President Joe Biden had been briefed several times on the intrusions.

The current cyber-attacks are a important clarion call that network security must be both a forethought in network design and an ongoing regulatory responsibility for the agency entrusted with oversight of the nation’s networks.

Guardian

Image: XstockImages

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