Abuse of Power
China-Linked Cyber Espionage: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and U.S. Issue Warning Against Telecom Threats
In a collaborative advisory, cybersecurity agencies from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the U.S. have exposed a large-scale cyber espionage campaign attributed to threat actors affiliated with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The operation has targeted telecommunications providers, exploiting known vulnerabilities in infrastructure without introducing new attack techniques, the agencies stated.
U.S. officials revealed that these threat actors continue to persist within U.S. telecommunications networks, even six months after investigations into the breaches began. The group behind the attacks, identified as “Salt Typhoon,” is also tracked under aliases such as Earth Estries, FamousSparrow, GhostEmperor, and UNC2286. This nation-state group has been active since at least 2020, with some of their tools dating back to 2019.
Last week, T-Mobile acknowledged thwarting intrusion attempts but assured that no customer data had been compromised.
The campaign, first reported in late September, allegedly aimed to extract sensitive information from several U.S. telecommunications firms. Beijing has dismissed the allegations, maintaining its stance of denial amid escalating tensions between China and the U.S.
To bolster defenses, cybersecurity and intelligence agencies have issued a comprehensive set of recommendations:
- Strengthen Network Security: Monitor network flow and configurations, limit exposure of management traffic, and enforce strict access control lists (ACLs).
- Enhance Infrastructure: Implement network segmentation, disable exploitable protocols, and ensure secure device management.
- Secure Data: Use end-to-end encryption, upgrade devices, and deploy phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication (MFA).
- Regular Audits: Conduct vulnerability assessments, patch systems, and review account access periodically.
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The advisory emphasized that patching vulnerabilities and improving network security will significantly reduce the success rate of such intrusion attempts.
The revelations come against the backdrop of intensifying trade disputes between the U.S. and China. Beijing has recently restricted exports of critical minerals like gallium and germanium in response to U.S. curbs on semiconductor exports. Meanwhile, the U.S. has introduced new restrictions to limit China’s capabilities in advanced semiconductor production, further straining relations.
As both nations navigate this technological and geopolitical standoff, global cybersecurity remains a critical focus for governments and industries alike.
