Massive data breach linked to China

New reports have revealed that a data breach of major US telecom firms, including AT&T and Verizon, is linked to Chinese hackers. 

What happened

Earlier this year, US-based telecommunication companies AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen, faced large data breaches impacting millions of customers. At the time, the breaches sparked significant backlash, especially for AT&T, which estimated that nearly every customer had their call records impacted.  

Now, according to a breaking report from the Wall Street Journal, the breach may be connected to Chinese hackers and may even be linked to the government. Currently, Chinese officials are denying claims, but the US government has reason to believe that China may be interested in certain call records. 

Going deeper

It’s reported that the hacking group, Salt Typhoon, may have had assistance or support from the Chinese government to access certain call records that are tied to ongoing investigations. 

Currently, the US government is bringing charges against Chinese government agents for allegedly harassing Chinese nationals on US soil. The US is also investigating claims related to possible hacking of political dissidents and American companies. US law enforcement has requested, through a warrant, specific portions of call data that may have been related to these investigations. 

According to CNN, the hackers may have accessed sensitive information for months before the breach discovery. Currently, the Chinese Embassy has denied all Chinese government involvement, calling the connection “a distortion of the fact” and accusing the use of “politicizing cybersecurity issues to smear China.” 

To aid in the investigation, US officials have enlisted the help of cybersecurity experts from Mandiant, a Microsoft and Google-owned firm. “We track Salt Typhoon and have seen activity consistent with public news reports,” said a Microsoft spokesperson, “When we see nation-state activity, we provide customers with information to investigate as appropriate.” 

Why it matters 

The information comes at a time of increased tension between the US and China regarding national security. Several other breaches have also been linked to China, causing concern over cybersecurity and national security. Last year it was believed that another Chinese hacking group accessed unclassified email accounts of senior US diplomats. 

Experts have found that the recent attack against telecom companies was particularly skilled and persistent, leading experts to believe in government involvement. Conversely, China has also been accusing the US of conducting targeted cyber attacks against Chinese organizations. These incidents showcase the growing threats of national actors in the cybersecurity world. 

The big picture

While attacks like these can be a nuisance for US residents, they underpin that cybersecurity attacks can be far more disruptive than causing only financial issues. Attacks on companies, be it healthcare, communications, or others, can cause threats to the nation.

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