China behind new cyberattack against U.S. surveillance networks and systems
The attack, attributed to a group called "Salt Typhoon," compromised sensitive data related to wiretaps authorized by the federal government.
Member of a hacker group using his computer.
A high-level cyberattack, allegedly linked to the Chinese regime, made several Internet provider networks vulnerable in the United States, putting at risk sensitive data used in wiretaps judicially authorized by the federal government. The severity of this incident could compromise crucial surveillance systems for months, according to sources close to the case.
The attack, linked to a group called "Salt Typhoon," with expertise in cyber espionage, would not only have accessed networks used to process judicial surveillance warrants, but also general internet traffic, raising the level of risk. Among the affected companies are Verizon, AT&T and Lumen Technologies, whose spokespersons have so far not commented on the situation.
Potential impact and security risks
The intrusion has raised concerns in Washington, as it could have allowed attackers to access sensitive information on criminal and national security investigations. While it has not yet been confirmed whether foreign intelligence surveillance systems were also compromised, the attack is under active investigation by both the U.S. government and private security firms.
Cybersecurity experts consider this attack part of a larger effort by the Chinese regime to infiltrate critical US infrastructure. In recent years, concerns have been heightened by the increasing activity of Chinese state-backed cyber groups seeking to position themselves in strategic sectors such as power plants, water facilities and airports, with the potential to launch disruptive cyberattacks in the event of a conflict.
Other ongoing investigations
This incident adds to a series of recent cyberattacks associated with Chinese groups, such as "Volt Typhoon" and "Flax Typhoon," that also attempted to infiltrate critical US infrastructure.
According to Brandon Wales, former director of the US Infrastructure Security and Cybersecurity Agency, these types of incidents must be taken extremely seriously: "If companies and governments weren’t taking this seriously before, they absolutely need to now," he stressed, alluding to the increased risk these cyberattacks pose to critical infrastructures in the United States and other countries.
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