Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Shady Cyber Skirmishes: China's Hacker Squads Exploiting Cisco Routers, Targeting US Telecoms & More!
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Shady Cyber Skirmishes: China's Hacker Squads Exploiting Cisco Routers, Targeting US Telecoms & More!
This is your China Hack Report: Daily US Tech Defense podcast.
Yesterday was wild—I’m Ting, your go-to for all things cyber, hacking, and China. Let’s dive into the latest digital skirmishes rocking U.S. tech defenses. China’s cyber threat du jour? Salt Typhoon, a state-sponsored hacker group that’s as relentless as they are resourceful. These folks have been exploiting vulnerabilities in Cisco’s hardware, targeting U.S. telecoms like AT&T and Verizon, among others. This isn’t just a random attack on corporate networks—it’s a systematic compromise aimed at critical infrastructure[1][9].
Cisco’s routers, particularly those running older software, provided Salt Typhoon an open door. The vulnerabilities—CVE-2023-20198 and CVE-2023-20273—were disclosed over a year ago, yet remain unpatched in many networks. A quick PSA: If your network hasn’t patched these yet, get on that, STAT! Insiders report that half of the affected hardware is stateside, spanning universities, telecoms, and even a U.S.-based affiliate of a British telecom giant. This isn’t just about stealing data; it’s like sneaky recon before a potential larger-scale disruption[9].
Meanwhile, it seems Salt Typhoon’s not the only kid on the block. Yesterday, CISA flagged a custom piece of malware—nicknamed “ShadowBeacon”—infiltrating U.S. county government systems. Researchers say its goal is data espionage, particularly election-related data, which has unsettling implications for democracy. The malware shows signs of origin from China’s Ministry of State Security, making it less a cyber prank and more a geopolitical chess move. Thankfully, emergency patches for affected systems have rolled out, and CISA is advising immediate updates and stricter access controls to contain the damage[1][3].
Let’s not overlook the economic angles. The Treasury Department announced fresh sanctions yesterday on Zhou Shuai, a data broker with ties to Chinese intelligence. Zhou facilitated massive data exfiltrations, targeting U.S. defense contractors, telecom providers, and academic institutions. The sanctions are a clear warning: the U.S. won’t stand by as its intellectual property and sensitive infrastructure are stripped bare[7].
Today, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is urging organizations to adopt a “Zero Trust” architecture—basically assume every login, device, and software update could be compromised. Oh, and if you’re wondering about TikTok, Shein, or any other Chinese-owned apps on your phone? Let’s just say they might be collecting more than your shopping preferences. ByteDance, Shein, and others have been flagged for harvesting user data, potentially putting millions of Americans’ personal information at risk. Fun times, right?[1][5].
The takeaway? China’s cyber activities aren’t just stealing data; they’re shaping a new digital battleground. Keep your systems updated, passwords strong, and watch this space—because when it comes to cyber threats, it’s a 24/7 saga.
For more http://www.quietplease.ai
Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta
Yesterday was wild—I’m Ting, your go-to for all things cyber, hacking, and China. Let’s dive into the latest digital skirmishes rocking U.S. tech defenses. China’s cyber threat du jour? Salt Typhoon, a state-sponsored hacker group that’s as relentless as they are resourceful. These folks have been exploiting vulnerabilities in Cisco’s hardware, targeting U.S. telecoms like AT&T and Verizon, among others. This isn’t just a random attack on corporate networks—it’s a systematic compromise aimed at critical infrastructure[1][9].
Cisco’s routers, particularly those running older software, provided Salt Typhoon an open door. The vulnerabilities—CVE-2023-20198 and CVE-2023-20273—were disclosed over a year ago, yet remain unpatched in many networks. A quick PSA: If your network hasn’t patched these yet, get on that, STAT! Insiders report that half of the affected hardware is stateside, spanning universities, telecoms, and even a U.S.-based affiliate of a British telecom giant. This isn’t just about stealing data; it’s like sneaky recon before a potential larger-scale disruption[9].
Meanwhile, it seems Salt Typhoon’s not the only kid on the block. Yesterday, CISA flagged a custom piece of malware—nicknamed “ShadowBeacon”—infiltrating U.S. county government systems. Researchers say its goal is data espionage, particularly election-related data, which has unsettling implications for democracy. The malware shows signs of origin from China’s Ministry of State Security, making it less a cyber prank and more a geopolitical chess move. Thankfully, emergency patches for affected systems have rolled out, and CISA is advising immediate updates and stricter access controls to contain the damage[1][3].
Let’s not overlook the economic angles. The Treasury Department announced fresh sanctions yesterday on Zhou Shuai, a data broker with ties to Chinese intelligence. Zhou facilitated massive data exfiltrations, targeting U.S. defense contractors, telecom providers, and academic institutions. The sanctions are a clear warning: the U.S. won’t stand by as its intellectual property and sensitive infrastructure are stripped bare[7].
Today, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is urging organizations to adopt a “Zero Trust” architecture—basically assume every login, device, and software update could be compromised. Oh, and if you’re wondering about TikTok, Shein, or any other Chinese-owned apps on your phone? Let’s just say they might be collecting more than your shopping preferences. ByteDance, Shein, and others have been flagged for harvesting user data, potentially putting millions of Americans’ personal information at risk. Fun times, right?[1][5].
The takeaway? China’s cyber activities aren’t just stealing data; they’re shaping a new digital battleground. Keep your systems updated, passwords strong, and watch this space—because when it comes to cyber threats, it’s a 24/7 saga.
For more http://www.quietplease.ai
Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta
View all episodes
By Quiet. PleaseThis is your China Hack Report: Daily US Tech Defense podcast.
Yesterday was wild—I’m Ting, your go-to for all things cyber, hacking, and China. Let’s dive into the latest digital skirmishes rocking U.S. tech defenses. China’s cyber threat du jour? Salt Typhoon, a state-sponsored hacker group that’s as relentless as they are resourceful. These folks have been exploiting vulnerabilities in Cisco’s hardware, targeting U.S. telecoms like AT&T and Verizon, among others. This isn’t just a random attack on corporate networks—it’s a systematic compromise aimed at critical infrastructure[1][9].
Cisco’s routers, particularly those running older software, provided Salt Typhoon an open door. The vulnerabilities—CVE-2023-20198 and CVE-2023-20273—were disclosed over a year ago, yet remain unpatched in many networks. A quick PSA: If your network hasn’t patched these yet, get on that, STAT! Insiders report that half of the affected hardware is stateside, spanning universities, telecoms, and even a U.S.-based affiliate of a British telecom giant. This isn’t just about stealing data; it’s like sneaky recon before a potential larger-scale disruption[9].
Meanwhile, it seems Salt Typhoon’s not the only kid on the block. Yesterday, CISA flagged a custom piece of malware—nicknamed “ShadowBeacon”—infiltrating U.S. county government systems. Researchers say its goal is data espionage, particularly election-related data, which has unsettling implications for democracy. The malware shows signs of origin from China’s Ministry of State Security, making it less a cyber prank and more a geopolitical chess move. Thankfully, emergency patches for affected systems have rolled out, and CISA is advising immediate updates and stricter access controls to contain the damage[1][3].
Let’s not overlook the economic angles. The Treasury Department announced fresh sanctions yesterday on Zhou Shuai, a data broker with ties to Chinese intelligence. Zhou facilitated massive data exfiltrations, targeting U.S. defense contractors, telecom providers, and academic institutions. The sanctions are a clear warning: the U.S. won’t stand by as its intellectual property and sensitive infrastructure are stripped bare[7].
Today, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is urging organizations to adopt a “Zero Trust” architecture—basically assume every login, device, and software update could be compromised. Oh, and if you’re wondering about TikTok, Shein, or any other Chinese-owned apps on your phone? Let’s just say they might be collecting more than your shopping preferences. ByteDance, Shein, and others have been flagged for harvesting user data, potentially putting millions of Americans’ personal information at risk. Fun times, right?[1][5].
The takeaway? China’s cyber activities aren’t just stealing data; they’re shaping a new digital battleground. Keep your systems updated, passwords strong, and watch this space—because when it comes to cyber threats, it’s a 24/7 saga.
For more http://www.quietplease.ai
Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta
Yesterday was wild—I’m Ting, your go-to for all things cyber, hacking, and China. Let’s dive into the latest digital skirmishes rocking U.S. tech defenses. China’s cyber threat du jour? Salt Typhoon, a state-sponsored hacker group that’s as relentless as they are resourceful. These folks have been exploiting vulnerabilities in Cisco’s hardware, targeting U.S. telecoms like AT&T and Verizon, among others. This isn’t just a random attack on corporate networks—it’s a systematic compromise aimed at critical infrastructure[1][9].
Cisco’s routers, particularly those running older software, provided Salt Typhoon an open door. The vulnerabilities—CVE-2023-20198 and CVE-2023-20273—were disclosed over a year ago, yet remain unpatched in many networks. A quick PSA: If your network hasn’t patched these yet, get on that, STAT! Insiders report that half of the affected hardware is stateside, spanning universities, telecoms, and even a U.S.-based affiliate of a British telecom giant. This isn’t just about stealing data; it’s like sneaky recon before a potential larger-scale disruption[9].
Meanwhile, it seems Salt Typhoon’s not the only kid on the block. Yesterday, CISA flagged a custom piece of malware—nicknamed “ShadowBeacon”—infiltrating U.S. county government systems. Researchers say its goal is data espionage, particularly election-related data, which has unsettling implications for democracy. The malware shows signs of origin from China’s Ministry of State Security, making it less a cyber prank and more a geopolitical chess move. Thankfully, emergency patches for affected systems have rolled out, and CISA is advising immediate updates and stricter access controls to contain the damage[1][3].
Let’s not overlook the economic angles. The Treasury Department announced fresh sanctions yesterday on Zhou Shuai, a data broker with ties to Chinese intelligence. Zhou facilitated massive data exfiltrations, targeting U.S. defense contractors, telecom providers, and academic institutions. The sanctions are a clear warning: the U.S. won’t stand by as its intellectual property and sensitive infrastructure are stripped bare[7].
Today, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is urging organizations to adopt a “Zero Trust” architecture—basically assume every login, device, and software update could be compromised. Oh, and if you’re wondering about TikTok, Shein, or any other Chinese-owned apps on your phone? Let’s just say they might be collecting more than your shopping preferences. ByteDance, Shein, and others have been flagged for harvesting user data, potentially putting millions of Americans’ personal information at risk. Fun times, right?[1][5].
The takeaway? China’s cyber activities aren’t just stealing data; they’re shaping a new digital battleground. Keep your systems updated, passwords strong, and watch this space—because when it comes to cyber threats, it’s a 24/7 saga.
For more http://www.quietplease.ai
Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta