Chinese hackers have reportedly targeted the communication devices of U.S. presidential candidates, including former President Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance. This complex hacking attempt was carried out by a Chinese cyber-espionage group known as "Salt Typhoon." According to the New York Times, the group infiltrated telecom networks, potentially accessing sensitive data from major providers like Verizon.
Salt Typhoon is said to have targeted not only Trump's campaign but also Democratic candidates, including Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz.
The attack on Verizon is part of a larger Chinese effort to gather intelligence. While it's still unclear if the hackers managed to access specific communications, U.S. federal agencies are investigating to determine the extent of any data breach. A Verizon spokesperson, Rich Young, stated, "We are aware that a sophisticated foreign actor has reportedly targeted several U.S. telecom providers to gather intelligence."
Salt Typhoon Chinese hacker Group
Salt Typhoon, a name given by Microsoft’s cybersecurity team, is a group of state-backed Chinese hackers. Microsoft uses "typhoon" to label Chinese hackers, while "sandstorm" is for Iranian groups and "blizzard" for Russian groups. In this case, "salt" signifies that Salt Typhoon is focused on counterintelligence, gathering information on high-value targets, rather than typical cybercrimes like data or financial theft.
Salt Typhoon’s recent activities targeted phone numbers linked to key U.S. political figures, government officials, and their staff, especially during sensitive political times. U.S. officials are still investigating the full scope of the breach. The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a joint statement acknowledging the serious nature of the attack and confirming that U.S. agencies are actively investigating unauthorized access to telecom networks by hackers tied to China.
The FBI and CISA are working closely with private companies to strengthen defenses. The agencies noted that after detecting harmful activity, they quickly notified affected companies, provided technical support, and shared information to protect other possible targets.
One major concern is that Salt Typhoon may have accessed important metadata, which reveals patterns in call times and frequencies. Such data could give China insights into relationships and sensitive discussions among U.S. leaders, especially with the 2024 election approaching.
- Tags:
- International
0 Comments:
Leave a Reply