FBI Confirms China's Salt Typhoon Hacking Campaign Hits at Least 200 US Companies

The FBI has confirmed that a Chinese-backed hacking campaign known as Salt Typhoon has hacked into at least 200 American companies, according to the agency's top cyber chief. The hackers, who are believed to be sponsored by the Chinese government, have also broken into companies in 80 countries around the world.

According to FBI assistant director Brett Leatherman, who spoke with The Washington Post, Salt Typhoon has been targeting call records among senior American politicians and officials. This allowed the hackers to map out who was calling who, as well as on whom the U.S. government was snooping using legal orders. The threat posed by Salt Typhoon was so severe that the FBI previously urged Americans to switch to encrypted messaging apps to avoid having their calls and messages accessed.

Leatherman told the Post that the threat from China is "ongoing" and that Salt Typhoon primarily targets company routers, siphoning sensitive network traffic. The FBI, along with nearly two dozen international agencies, published an advisory on Wednesday offering technical guidance on how to identify intrusions caused by Salt Typhoon.

The hacked companies include some of the biggest names in the industry, such as AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen. Charter Communications and Windstream were also recently named as victims, among others. However, the exact number of companies that have been breached is not yet known, as the FBI has chosen not to disclose the full extent of the attack.

The Salt Typhoon campaign is part of a broader Chinese espionage effort that has been targeting American companies and government agencies for years. The hackers are believed to be using sophisticated techniques to evade detection and avoid attribution.

What Can You Do to Protect Yourself?

The FBI's advisory offers technical guidance on how to identify intrusions caused by Salt Typhoon, including steps that can be taken to secure company networks and protect sensitive data. However, individuals who are concerned about their own security should take the following precautions:

• Use encrypted messaging apps to communicate with sensitive information.
• Maintain up-to-date software and security patches on all devices.
• Be cautious of suspicious emails or attachments from unknown sources.
• Regularly back up important data to a secure location.

Avoiding the Salt Typhoon threat will require vigilance and continued cooperation between government agencies, industry leaders, and individuals. As the threat landscape continues to evolve, it is essential that all parties take proactive steps to protect themselves against cyber threats.