US Congressional Research Service reports on PRC state-sponsored Salt Typhoon hacks on telecoms - #APT40
A Chinese state-sponsored cyber espionage group known as Salt Typhoon has reportedly breached several major U.S. telecommunications companies, including Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen Technologies, compromising wiretap systems used for lawful surveillance. This breach has potential national security implications, as it allowed unauthorized access to sensitive governmental communications and may have facilitated eavesdropping on high-profile political figures, including former President Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance. The FBI and CISA are actively investigating and responding to these breaches, emphasizing the need for enhanced cybersecurity measures and stricter infrastructure security protocols. Lawmakers are calling for an investigation into the security practices of the affected companies and potential regulatory updates. This incident highlights the ongoing challenges in protecting critical infrastructure from sophisticated state-sponsored cyber threats, which pose significant risks to national security and public safety.