Salt Typhoon’s breach: Lessons from U.S. telecom hacks

The recent wave of Chinese hacker breaches in U.S. telecom companies reveals lessons on safeguarding infrastructure and preventing future attacks.

What happened

Chinese state-sponsored hackers, known as Salt Typhoon, have expanded their cyberattack campaign against U.S. telecom companies. In addition to earlier breaches at AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen, new reports confirm that Charter Communications, Consolidated Communications, and Windstream were also compromised.

The hackers infiltrated these companies' systems to access highly sensitive communications, including text messages, phone calls, voicemails, and even wiretap data related to U.S. law enforcement investigations.

While some companies have confirmed removing Salt Typhoon from their networks, others remain silent about the attacks, raising concerns about the full scope of the breach and the ongoing vulnerabilities in U.S. telecom infrastructure.

A closer look at Salt Typhoon’s breach campaign

Salt Typhoon has targeted at least nine U.S. telecom companies, with signs of infiltration across telecom providers in multiple countries. The group’s primary goal appears to be deep access to telecom infrastructure, enabling them to intercept and monitor communications from government officials, law enforcement agencies, and private citizens.

Such a level of access is particularly dangerous because telecom networks serve as critical infrastructure for national security. The ability to intercept sensitive conversations, especially those involving law enforcement operations, directly threatens U.S. security interests.

Despite the severity of the attacks, companies like Charter Communications and Windstream have declined to comment on the breaches, leaving questions about the extent of their security lapses.

In response, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued guidance encouraging government officials to switch to end-to-end encrypted messaging apps like Signal to reduce the risk of communication interception.

The potential risks of telecom breaches

Salt Typhoon’s ongoing attacks expose risks that extend far beyond individual privacy breaches:

• Surveillance of government officials: Hackers can intercept communications between government officials, exposing sensitive discussions related to national security. Such breaches may provide valuable intelligence to foreign adversaries and compromise diplomatic efforts.
• Disruption of law enforcement operations: Access to wiretap data and law enforcement communications could allow attackers to monitor investigations in real-time, potentially jeopardizing ongoing criminal cases and exposing undercover operations.
• Supply chain vulnerabilities: Telecom companies rely on third-party vendors for routers, firewalls, and other hardware. Compromising these devices could allow hackers to manipulate hardware at the source, making detecting or mitigating breaches difficult.
• Erosion of trust in digital infrastructure: Repeated breaches of telecom providers undermine public trust in the security of U.S. communication systems. If citizens and businesses begin to question the safety of their communications, it could hinder the adoption of new digital technologies and weaken overall cybersecurity resilience.

Lessons from the Salt Typhoon telecom breaches

Telecom providers need to shift from reactive to proactive security

These breaches indicate a systemic issue in the telecom industry—security measures often kick in after a breach has occurred. Companies need to focus on continuous network monitoring, threat detection, and penetration testing to catch vulnerabilities before attackers do.

Hardware vulnerabilities are the Achilles’ heel of telecom infrastructure

Salt Typhoon’s ability to infiltrate routers and other hardware shows that telecom providers must rethink their supply chain security. Regular firmware updates, independent hardware audits, and stricter procurement standards can reduce risks at the hardware level.

End-to-end encryption is no longer optional

CISA’s recommendation to switch to end-to-end encrypted messaging apps like Signal is a temporary solution. Telecom companies need to integrate encryption at the network level to ensure that sensitive communications remain secure, even if the network is breached.

National security is tied to private-sector cybersecurity

Telecom companies are fundamental to national security but are primarily privately owned and managed. The separation between government agencies and telecom providers creates a disconnect in protecting critical infrastructure. Strengthening collaboration through public-private partnerships and implementing mandatory cybersecurity standards could help bridge this divide.

FAQs

Who is Salt Typhoon, and what makes them dangerous?

Salt Typhoon is a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group that specializes in infiltrating telecom networks to intercept sensitive communications. Their long-term infiltration tactics allow them to monitor government officials, law enforcement, and private citizens without detection for extended periods.

Why are telecom companies prime targets for hackers?

Telecom companies handle large volumes of sensitive data, including personal communications, law enforcement wiretaps, and government conversations. Hackers view these companies as high-value targets because compromising them allows access to a vast network of private information.

What can telecom companies do to improve security?

Telecom companies should adopt:

• End-to-end encryption at both the user and network levels
• Multi-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access
• Continuous monitoring and threat detection systems
• Supply chain audits to prevent hardware vulnerabilities