Cyber-Espionage Operation: Salt Typhoon

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The outgoing head of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) stated that a massive Chinese-linked cyber-espionage operation targeting U.S. telecom companies, known as “Salt Typhoon,” is a “clarion call” to tackle critical telecommunications security issues.

“Salt Typhoon is a clarion call that reminds us that the security of our networks is absolutely vital for our national and economic security,” said Jessica Rosenworcel, FCC Chair, who will step down on Monday, in a Reuters interview.

“We’ve got to make some changes… We have to figure out how it happened, the extent of the incursion, and then, most importantly, we have to take action to ensure it never happens again.”

Senator Ben Ray Lujan, the top Democrat on a telecom subcommittee, claimed that China’s alleged efforts may represent “the largest telecommunications hack in our nation’s history.”

Verizon and AT&T have acknowledged that they were affected by Salt Typhoon but confirmed last month that their networks are now secure.

The FCC voted to require telecommunications companies to have cybersecurity risk management plans. Rosenworcel anticipated future threats from malicious actors and called for measures to enhance the resilience of networks.

Incoming FCC Chair Brendan Carr expressed that the Salt Typhoon attack “represents an unacceptable risk to our national security” but criticized the commission’s actions. “We should be taking a series of actions that will restore America’s deterrence and harden our networks going forward,” he stated.

Under Rosenworcel’s leadership, the FCC has implemented measures to exert pressure on Chinese telecom companies, including enhancing the security of internet-transmitted information following allegations that a Chinese carrier misrouted traffic. The FCC is also reviewing regulations concerning undersea cables that handle most internet traffic.

In 2022, the FCC voted to prevent companies like Huawei and ZTE from securing approvals for new telecommunications equipment. In December, Congress approved $3.1 billion for U.S. telecom firms to eliminate equipment from Huawei and ZTE from American wireless networks.