TMobile Hack Linked To Chinese State Sponsored Hackers

pppTMobile was hacked by Chinese state sponsored hackers Salt TyphoonppThis article was updated on Nov 18 to include comments from a Lumen Technologies spokespersonppTMobile is the latest telecommunications company to report being impacted by a largescale cyberespionage campaign linked to Chinese statesponsored hackers While TMobile has stated that customer data and critical systems have not been significantly affected the breach is part of a broader attack on major telecom providers raising concerns about the security of critical communications infrastructure across the industryppThe campaign attributed to a hacking group known as Salt Typhoon also referred to as Earth Estries or Ghost Emperor targeted the wiretap systems telecom companies are required to maintain for law enforcement purposes as the WSJ Reports These systems are essential for facilitating government mandated surveillance and are a crucial part of telecom infrastructureppAccording to federal agencies including the FBI and CISA the hackers successfully accessedppThe breach appears to have focused on sensitive communications involving highranking US national security and policy officials This suggests a deliberate effort to gather intelligence on key figures posing potential risks to national securityppTMobiles disclosure is one part of a broader effort by federal agencies to track and contain the impact of the Salt Typhoon campaign Lumen Technologies and major US telecom providers including ATT and Verizon have also reported being affectedppThe attack highlights vulnerabilities across the telecommunications sector emphasizing the need for collective efforts to strengthen security measures As telecom providers handle sensitive communications for governments businesses and individuals they are increasingly targeted by statesponsored actors seeking valuable intelligenceppConcerning Lumen Technologies a spokesperson contacted me on Nov 18 to provide their perspectiveppEnsuring the safety of our network for our customers is our priority We take our responsibility to operate a secure network seriously and are working with the government our customers and the broader industry on this issue To date there is no evidence that customer data was accessed on our network The Spokesperson also emphasized that the hack did not impact their wiretap systemsppTMobile has emphasized that it is actively monitoring the situation and working closely with federal authorities to investigate the breach The company maintains that to date there is no evidence of a significant impact on customer data or the broader functionality of its systems In my request for comment a TMobile spokesperson responded with the followingppTMobile is closely monitoring this industrywide attack Due to our security controls network structure and diligent monitoring and response we have seen no significant impacts to TMobile systems or data We have no evidence of access or exfiltration of any customer or other sensitive information as other companies may have experienced We will continue to monitor this closely working with industry peers and the relevant authoritiesppThis latest incident comes at a time when TMobile has been enhancing its cybersecurity practices Earlier this year the company resolved a 315 million settlement with the FCC related to prior breaches half of which was dedicated to improving security infrastructure As part of its commitments TMobile has been implementing measures such asppThe TMobile breach highlights the unique challenges facing the telecommunications industry which is classified as critical infrastructure under federal law Telecommunications companies are the backbone of global communication enabling everything from emergency services and government operations to business transactions and personal connectivityppAs such these networks are prime targets for statesponsored cyber campaigns that seek to exploit their role in facilitating sensitive communications This incident demonstrates a troubling shift in cyberespionage tactics By targeting wiretap systems and sensitive communications attackers like Salt Typhoon aim not just to steal data but to compromise the integrity of systems critical to national securityppppOne Community Many Voices Create a free account to share your thoughts ppOur community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe spaceppIn order to do so please follow the posting rules in our sites Terms of Service  Weve summarized some of those key rules below Simply put keep it civilppYour post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to containppUser accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged inppSo how can you be a power userppThanks for reading our community guidelines Please read the full list of posting rules found in our sites Terms of Servicep