Chinese hackers breached US court wiretap systems by tracking a network of US broadband providers, including Lumen Technologies, AT&T, and Verizon. The hacking group accessed systems used for court-authorized wiretapping and other Internet traffic for collecting intelligence.
The intrusion was recently discovered, and the US government has confronted their Chinese counterparts concerning the activities. China's foreign ministry has previously denied any US claims that it employs hackers in breaking foreign IT systems.
Chances are that the hackers accessed the network infrastructure for months. The hackers also accessed other tranches of internet traffic besides the network infrastructure companies used in cooperating with court-authorized US requests for communications data. Linked organizations like Lumen Technologies, AT&T, and Verizon Communications, are yet to comment on the breach publicly.
Chinese Hackers Dubbed “Salt Typhoon” Linked to Breach of US Court Systems
US investigators have dubbed the Chinese hacking group linked to breaching US Court wiretap systems "Salt Typhoon." Earlier in the year, US law enforcement agencies disrupted a major Chinese hacking group codenamed "Flax Typhoon," months after confronting the Chinese government about sweeping cyber hackers under a campaign dubbed "Volt Typhoon”.
China’s foreign ministry responded to reports of the attack similarly to various accusations by the United States. The ministry says that it was not aware of the attack mentioned in the report while claiming that the United States had previously “concocted a false narrative” to frame “China.”
In an official statement on the situation, China's Foreign Ministry said, "At a time when cybersecurity has become a common challenge for all countries around the world, this erroneous approach will only hinder the efforts of the international community to jointly address the challenge through dialogue and cooperation."
China's foreign ministry observed that Beijing's cybersecurity agencies had discovered and published evidence showing that an "international ransomware organization" was behind the Volt Typhoon. The ministry emphasized the need for cooperative international efforts to fight cybersecurity.
Implications of the Breach on US Broadband Providers
The implications of the cyberattack on telecom companies are immense, especially after the United States expressed growing concerns recently about cyberattacks from Chinese hackers. Breaching these court wirestrap systems means that law enforcement and national security agencies in the US have been at risk.
Based on the sensitivity of wiretap requests, unauthorized access could expose confidential investigations and the methods the country's legal system employs in obtaining evidence against suspects.
Meanwhile, the United States is already facing significant challenges with protecting its information systems. Such cyberattacks, especially those linked to state-sponsored groups like Salt Typhon, could further complicate the US' security systems for safeguarding its information systems.
Wrapping Up
A Chinese hacking group reportedly breached US court wiretap systems by illegally accessing a group of broadband network providers in the country. The Chinese Foreign Ministry says that it is unaware of the hacking attempts while accusing the US of making up "Chinese hacking" claims to malign Beijing.