Microsoft announced that it had exposed infrastructure hacking activities by Volt Typhoon, a Chinese-backed hacker group. The group targeted Guam and its attacks raised concerns about how the island’s military infrastructure could be compromised in the future.
Microsoft said in a statement that it believes that the attack on Internet routers and other devices is a way to develop capabilities to combat cybercrime that could threaten the communications infrastructure between the United States, the United States, and Asia in future crises.
The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and its international partners said in a joint report that Volt Typhoon could apply the same technologies to other sectors around the world.
Microsoft said it notified customers targeted or compromised by the attack and provided them with the information needed to secure the companies.
The Volt Typhoon has been active since mid-2021 and targets infrastructure organizations in Guam and the United States in sectors such as telecom, manufacturing, utilities, transportation, construction, marine, government, IT, and education. Microsoft said the behavior observed by the hacker group indicated that they intended to spy on the infrastructure and keep it undetected for as long as possible. According to Microsoft, Volt Typhoon is able to infiltrate enterprise systems and steal user credentials using an unnamed vulnerability that makes it easier to navigate networks and avoid detection. Part of the concern about the hack stems from the fact that it targets Guam, a US territory and island in Micronesia that serves as a crucial military outpost. The island, located in the far west of the United States, acts as a deterrent and will be key in responding to China’s encroachment into the Asia-Pacific region. The proximity of Guam to Taiwan is especially important in the event of a military conflict between the island and China. The Volt Typhoon hack comes just months after a Chinese spy balloon was shot down in US airspace.
“The FBI continues to warn that China has engaged in malicious activity with the intent to target critical infrastructure organizations and to use known techniques to obscure detection,” the FBI said. Brian ForndranDeputy Director of the FBI’s Cybercrime Division, in a statement. Together with our federal and international partners, we will not allow the People’s Republic of China to continue using these unacceptable methods. »
Translated article from the American magazine Forbes – Author: Antonio Pecino IV
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