Cybersecurity

Salt Typhoon hackers possibly targeted telecom research at US universities

Recorded Future’s latest findings shed light on how widespread the Salt Typhoon campaign has become since it was uncovered last year.

Cybersecurity

Trump to nominate former RNC official to be national cyber director

It’s not clear how Sean Cairncross would address ongoing ONCD efforts, as the Trump administration has sought to refocus certain cyber priorities in the federal government.

Cybersecurity

AI-cybersecurity firm Andesite secures added $23M in funding

The company, which is led by former CIA officials and other ex-national intelligence chiefs, also unveiled a new security operations center product, the firm first told Nextgov/FCW.

Artificial Intelligence

Lawmakers move to ban DeepSeek’s AI from government devices

Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., charged that China is using DeepSeek “to steal the sensitive data of U.S. citizens.”

People

Senate confirms Kristi Noem to head Trump’s DHS

Noem is likely to direct a reevaluation of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s spending priorities, amid GOP accusations that the agency censored conservative views online.

Cybersecurity

US sanctions Chinese firm behind sweeping Salt Typhoon telecom hacks

The Treasury Department also sanctioned an individual involved in recent Chinese hacks into its own systems.

Cybersecurity

Salt Typhoon breach was first detected on federal networks, CISA head says

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Jen Easterly said the group was first detected “before we understood it was Salt Typhoon.”

Cybersecurity

FBI deleted Chinese malware from 4,200 US computers

The malware’s command server appears to be based in Tokyo and was accessed by French authorities who helped craft the code needed to remove the infection.

Exclusive Cybersecurity

GAO mulls cost evaluation of nationwide telecom hardware replacement

One major vulnerability exploited by China’s Salt Typhoon hacking unit is a Cisco hardware flaw that can’t be patched and requires physical replacement, according to a person with knowledge of the intrusions.

Cybersecurity

US sanctions Chinese company that helped facilitate espionage hacks

Integrity Technology Group, known to researchers as Flax Typhoon, contracted with China’s Ministry of State Security to carry out infiltrations into internet of things devices, the FBI previously said.

Cybersecurity

Chinese-sponsored hackers accessed Treasury documents in ‘major incident’

The incident comes in the final days of the Biden presidency and as officials work to root out China-tied hackers from U.S. telecommunications systems.

Cybersecurity

Major cyber news drops under the buzzer for 2024

A ninth U.S. telecommunications provider fell onto Salt Typhoon’s victim list, and the UN’s controversial cybercrime treaty was adopted.

Ideas

Cybersecurity response: Not just an IT issue but an emergency preparedness priority

COMMENTARY | Government and private sector organizations have begun to recognize that physical and virtual assets must be protected from cyber threats in the same way as IT.

Cybersecurity

Hundreds of organizations were notified of potential Salt Typhoon compromise

Some of the exploited vulnerabilities have had fixes available for several years. One provider’s management system was protected with a basic numeric password.

Defense

Several Pentagon commands failed to keep good track of classified mobile devices, audit finds

The report comes amid an ongoing Chinese intrusion into U.S. telecom systems. Congress is also working to shore up device protections for servicemembers through the annual defense authorization bill.

Cybersecurity

CISA issues updated draft of national cyber incident response plan

The NCIRP was first released in 2016. The updates include pathways for non-federal groups to get involved in responding to devastating cyberattacks.

Cybersecurity

Salt Typhoon attacks prompt talk of hacking back against China

In classified settings, lawmakers have often asked national security officials why American cyber forces don’t go on the attack more often, one senator said.

Cybersecurity

Lawmakers targeted in encrypted messaging phishing scam

Officials have been urging Americans and federal staff to pivot to encrypted messaging services amid a recent Chinese breach into telecommunications networks.