US Clamps Down On Chinese Cyber Espionage Operation Volt Typhoon: Report

The U.S. has initiated a crackdown on a widespread Chinese cyber espionage effort known for breaching numerous internet-connected devices globally, according to Reuters.

This initiative, led by the Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), has seen legal measures being put in place to dismantle key components of this cyber intrusion, as shared by two Western security officials and an insider.

The focus on cybersecurity has intensified within the Biden administration, not just over concerns of potential disruptions to the upcoming U.S. elections, but also due to the chaos unleashed by ransomware attacks on the corporate sector throughout 2023.

Central to the concerns of U.S. intelligence is the hacking group known as Volt Typhoon, which is believed to be part of a larger scheme targeting critical Western infrastructure, including naval facilities, ISPs, and utility services.

The activities of Volt Typhoon, which first became public in May 2023, saw a significant expansion and adaptation in tactics towards the end of the year, according to three informed sources who spoke to Reuters.

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The extensive nature of these cyberattacks prompted discussions between the White House and key players in the private tech sector, including telecom and cloud computing firms. The U.S. government sought their collaboration in monitoring these malicious activities.

The potential risk, as outlined by national security experts to Reuters, is that such breaches could allow China to remotely disrupt vital installations in the Indo-Pacific, crucial to U.S. military operations, amid growing tensions over Taiwan.

The Chinese stance on these hacking allegations, as voiced by foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning in May, was to dismiss them as "collective disinformation" by the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The modus operandi of Volt Typhoon involves commandeering a vast array of digital devices, such as routers and security cameras, creating a botnet to obscure further attacks on more sensitive targets. This tactic complicates the efforts of cybersecurity teams to detect malicious activities within their networks.

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This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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