The FBI and CISA have revealed that Chinese hackers have breached telecommunications providers in the United States (US). The compromised entities have been notified and the agencies are proactively alerting other potential targets.
“The U.S. government is investigating unauthorized access to commercial telecommunications infrastructure by entities affiliated with the People’s Republic of China,” the security services said in a statement.
“After the FBI identified specific malicious activity targeting the industry, it, along with CISA, notified affected companies, provided technical assistance, and quickly shared information to help other potential victims“.
See also: Chinese hackers breach telecommunications provider systems
As the investigation is ongoing, not much information has been released.
Telecommunications providers and other organizations that believe they may have been compromised by Chinese hackers are urged to contact their local FBI office or CISA and report it immediately.
According to the announcement , agencies across the US government are working together to mitigate attacks by Chinese hackers and are coordinating with industry partners to strengthen cybersecurity defenses in the telecommunications sector.
A few days ago, it was reported that Chinese hackers, known as Salt Typhoon, had breached several American service providers, including Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen Technologies. The goal of the operation appeared to be espionage.
See also: Hacker claims to have breached French telecoms provider SFR
The telecommunications sector is an essential component of modern society, providing critical services such as communication, commerce and emergency response. As a result, it is increasingly targeted by malicious actors. Chinese hackers use various methods to penetrate sensitive systems and gain access to valuable data.
In response to this growing threat, governments around the world are being urged to implement regulations and guidelines to strengthen cybersecurity practices in the telecommunications industry.
Canada is also a target
While the US is under the spotlight for cyberattacks due to the upcoming elections, the Canadian government has also announced that state-sponsored Chinese hackers are scanning networks targeting multiple organizations.
“The majority of organizations targeted were departments and agencies of the Government of Canada. The attacks also targeted dozens of organizations, including democratic institutions, critical infrastructure, defense organizations, media organizations, think tanks, and NGOs,” the Canadian government said.
See also: BSNL: Data breach affects millions of customers of the telecom provider
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Canada noted, however, that these scans are limited to reconnaissance and do not constitute security for the listed entities. However, organizations in the country should remain vigilant and implement training phishing.
Source: www.bleepingcomputer.com
