Chinese hackers infiltrated an American telecommunications company in the summer of 2023, raising questions about the timeline of China’s foothold in the American communications industry. The breach, discovered by corporate investigators, predates the publicly known Salt Typhoon espionage campaign.
Key Points
Chinese state-backed hackers breached a US telecommunications company in 2023, preceding the Salt Typhoon campaign
Malware named Demodex was used in the breach, providing deep access to infected machines
Hackers gained access to IT administrators' computers, with malware remaining for seven months
Pros
Discovery of Chinese state-backed hacker breach provides valuable insights into cybersecurity threats
Raises awareness about the importance of robust cybersecurity measures in critical infrastructure
Cons
Potential compromise of sensitive data and information
Questions around the effectiveness of cybersecurity defenses against advanced state-sponsored attacks