Cyber Threats
US sanctions Chinese firm behind sweeping Salt Typhoon telecom hacks
The Treasury Department also sanctioned an individual involved in recent Chinese hacks into its own systems.
Salt Typhoon breach was first detected on federal networks, CISA head says
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Jen Easterly said the group was first detected “before we understood it was Salt Typhoon.”
FBI deleted Chinese malware from 4,200 US computers
The malware’s command server appears to be based in Tokyo and was accessed by French authorities who helped craft the code needed to remove the infection.
Exclusive
GAO mulls cost evaluation of nationwide telecom hardware replacement
One major vulnerability exploited by China’s Salt Typhoon hacking unit is a Cisco hardware flaw that can’t be patched and requires physical replacement, according to a person with knowledge of the intrusions.
US sanctions Chinese company that helped facilitate espionage hacks
Integrity Technology Group, known to researchers as Flax Typhoon, contracted with China’s Ministry of State Security to carry out infiltrations into internet of things devices, the FBI previously said.
Is AI the missing piece for government agencies to achieve zero trust security?
Here are three factors to consider.
Chinese-sponsored hackers accessed Treasury documents in ‘major incident’
The incident comes in the final days of the Biden presidency and as officials work to root out China-tied hackers from U.S. telecommunications systems.
Major cyber news drops under the buzzer for 2024
A ninth U.S. telecommunications provider fell onto Salt Typhoon’s victim list, and the UN’s controversial cybercrime treaty was adopted.
How federal agencies can combat identity-related cyber threats and unmask cybercriminals
COMMENTARY | Identity-related threats remain a big problem in government.
Cybersecurity response: Not just an IT issue but an emergency preparedness priority
COMMENTARY | Government and private sector organizations have begun to recognize that physical and virtual assets must be protected from cyber threats in the same way as IT.
Hundreds of organizations were notified of potential Salt Typhoon compromise
Some of the exploited vulnerabilities have had fixes available for several years. One provider’s management system was protected with a basic numeric password.
Several Pentagon commands failed to keep good track of classified mobile devices, audit finds
The report comes amid an ongoing Chinese intrusion into U.S. telecom systems. Congress is also working to shore up device protections for servicemembers through the annual defense authorization bill.
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CISA issues updated draft of national cyber incident response plan
The NCIRP was first released in 2016. The updates include pathways for non-federal groups to get involved in responding to devastating cyberattacks.
Salt Typhoon attacks prompt talk of hacking back against China
In classified settings, lawmakers have often asked national security officials why American cyber forces don’t go on the attack more often, one senator said.
Lawmakers targeted in encrypted messaging phishing scam
Officials have been urging Americans and federal staff to pivot to encrypted messaging services amid a recent Chinese breach into telecommunications networks.
FCC proposes updates to wiretap security standards following Chinese telecom hacks
Several lawmakers have called for the agency to reform wiretap standards governed by the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act, or CALEA.
At least 8 US carriers hit in Chinese telecom hacks, senior official says
The hacks carried out by the Salt Typhoon group impacted a couple dozen countries and may have been ongoing for one to two years, the official said.
Chinese telecom espionage began with ‘much broader’ aims, officials say
The U.S. has been investigating the Salt Typhoon hackers since late spring and early summer this year, a senior FBI official said.
Accountability in cybersecurity: Why government agencies must raise the stakes
Promoting better cybersecurity in an organization might mean doing things like locking user machines when they don't complete cyber training because accountability is not optional.
Chinese hackers used a ‘range of sophisticated methods’ to breach US telecom providers, insider says
Salt Typhoon deployed various methods to break into telecommunications firms that went far beyond a singular run-of-the-mill credential-stealing attempt, according to a person familiar.
