FBI says China’s Salt Typhoon hacked at least 200 US companies

A hacking initiative linked to Chinese state-sponsored actors has infiltrated at least 200 American companies, as revealed by the FBI’s leading cyber official. Brett Leatherman, the Assistant Director of the FBI, disclosed to The Washington Post that the group, known as Salt Typhoon, has also compromised entities across 80 different countries, showcasing the extensive reach of this espionage effort. Details regarding the specific companies breached remain undisclosed. However, previous confirmations include major telecommunications firms such as AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen, with Charter Communications and Windstream identified as additional victims. These cyber intrusions have allowed hackers access to call records involving senior U.S. officials, enabling them to discern networks of communication and monitor U.S. surveillance operations. In response to the severity of the threat, the FBI recommended that Americans transition to encrypted messaging services to safeguard their communications. Alongside nearly twenty international partners, the FBI issued a detailed advisory on Wednesday, emphasizing that Salt Typhoon primarily targets corporate routers to extract sensitive network data. Leatherman reiterated to the Post that the threat posed by Chinese cyber activities continues to be a significant concern.