Cyber FBI agent claims Salt Typhoon compromised information of almost every U.S. resident
The Salt Typhoon cyber-spy campaign, a covert operation backed by China, has been stealing sensitive information from millions of Americans for several years. The campaign, which began in or before 2019, remained undetected by US authorities until last fall.
The scale of indiscriminate targeting by the People's Republic of China (PRC) in this operation is unprecedented, expanding beyond nine American telecommunications companies and government networks. Three China-based entities affiliated with Salt Typhoon were identified: Sichuan Juxinhe Network Technology, Beijing Huanyu Tianqiong Information Technology, and Sichuan Zhixin Ruijie Network Technology. These companies provide cyber products and services to China's Ministry of State Security and Peopleโs Liberation Army.
The ongoing espionage activity has compromised more than 100 current and former presidential administration officials, with high-profile individuals reportedly having their actual content, including phone calls, intercepted. Around 200 American organisations, including Verizon and AT&T, have also been compromised.
The Salt Typhoon campaign is one of the most consequential cyber espionage breaches ever seen in the United States. The digital intrusions caused by Salt Typhoon have affected more than 80 countries. Michael Machtinger, deputy assistant director for the FBI's cyber division, stated that it's likely that nearly every American has had their information stolen.
China's Salt Typhoon spies continue to operate on US government networks, according to the CISA boss. The FBI warns that these actors will continue to get more sophisticated and emphasizes the need for nations to take cybersecurity seriously. Outdated devices should be removed to prevent cyberattacks.
It's important to note that other threats, such as those from Russia, Iran, North Korea, cybercriminals, and ransomware crooks, also pose daily threats to the computers and networks of individuals and organizations.
While the FBI has not confirmed the specific victims of Salt Typhoon, Salt Typhoon's victims, according to Machtinger, included President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. However, Machtinger declined to confirm this information.
In another development, Volt Typhoon, another Chinese cyber operation, infected hundreds of outdated routers to build a botnet and prepare for destructive cyberattacks. Silk Typhoon, a China-linked crew, has been compromising IT and cloud providers for over a decade to steal sensitive data.
The Salt Typhoon campaign collected bulk information from millions of Americans, underscoring the importance of strengthening cybersecurity measures to protect personal and sensitive data.
