A joint advisory from multiple US-based law enforcement agencies announced that various Chinese hackers are trying to attack and breach the country’s commercial telecommunication service providers in the United States.
Agencies such as the FBI and CISA proactively alert other potential targets, especially those in the critical sector, such as other government bodies, to sophisticated cybercriminal activities.
These alerts came from the recent investigation of the United States government regarding the unauthorised access to commercial telecommunications infrastructure by threat actors affiliated with the People’s Republic of China.
After the FBI identified specific malicious activity targeting the sector, the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) notified affected companies, rendered technical assistance, and immediately shared details to assist other potential victims.
Little information has been shared with the public as the investigation is underway. On the other hand, organisations that suspect Chinese hackers might have already compromised their systems should promptly contact their local FBI office or CISA and report it immediately.
The US government are locked in to stop these Chinese hackers from targeting its telecommunication industry.
Initial reports revealed that various agencies all over the United States will collaborate to prevent these Chinese hackers from increasing their attack scope. In addition, these government institutions will partner with third-party cybersecurity providers in the commercial sector to acquire reinforcements.
Earlier this month, a Chinese hacking group called Salt Typhoon breached multiple US broadband providers, including Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen Technologies. The primary objective of the data breach campaign appeared to be espionage, and the hackers gained access to a communications interception system that major telecoms maintain to lodge lawful crime investigation requests from the authorities.
As of now, these federal law enforcement agencies have yet to provide further details about these incidents, implying that additional information about the current issues could compromise its investigation.
Telecom providers should be wary of these threats as they are the primary targets of Chinese hackers. Canadian entities should also be cautious, as the same hackers have already executed similar attacks earlier this year.
