A White House official said on Friday that the US identified a ninth telecommunications company impacted by a wide-ranging Chinese espionage effort and that further steps are planned to curb cyberattacks from Beijing.
US Identifies Ninth Telecommunications Company Impacted by Chinese Espionage
As the Biden administration learns about the scope and scale of the so-called Salt Typhoon breach, which it attributed to China, officials are laying the blame on companies that were slow to identify the attack.
Companies Failing to Secure Infrastructure
“The reality is that China is targeting critical infrastructure in the United States. Those are private sector companies, and we still see companies not doing the basics,” Anne Neuberger, the deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technologies, told reporters on Friday.
Further Actions Planned
The Commerce Department this month moved ahead with a ban of China Telecom, and according to Neuberger, similar actions will be released in the next month.
Salt Typhoon: A Wide-Ranging Chinese Espionage Effort
Salt Typhoon is the name given to the hacking group behind the attacks. Microsoft assigns cyberthreat actors different names to better identify and reference incidents, with the moniker “typhoon” used for activity originating from or attributed to China.
Neuberger: “Let’s Lock Down This Infrastructure”
“That’s why we are looking forward and saying ‘Let’s lock down this infrastructure.’ And frankly, let’s hold the Chinese accountable for this,” Neuberger added.
US Takes Action
The Federal Communications Commission is voting on a rule in mid-January that would help protect America’s critical infrastructure. The General Services Administration is reviewing government contracts to require better cybersecurity practices.
Conclusion
The US government is taking steps to curb cyberattacks from China, including banning China Telecom and planning further actions. The government is also calling on private sector companies to improve their cybersecurity practices to prevent attacks.
FAQs
Q: What is Salt Typhoon?
A: Salt Typhoon is the name given to the hacking group behind the attacks attributed to China.
Q: How many Americans were targeted?
A: The US still does not have an exact assessment of how many Americans were targeted, but a large number of individuals were affected by geolocating around the Washington, DC, and Virginia area.
Q: What is the US government doing to protect critical infrastructure?
A: The Federal Communications Commission is voting on a rule in mid-January that would help protect America’s critical infrastructure, and the General Services Administration is reviewing government contracts to require better cybersecurity practices.
