Global Salt Typhoon Cyber Attacks Linked to Chinese Tech Firms

[johny899]

Let’s explore something serious, but really kind of weird. A hacker group called Salt Typhoon has been discovered carrying out hacking campaigns around the world, and reports suggest there may be potential links to Chinese technology companies. Sounds like a screenplay right? But this is real.

Who is Salt Typhoon?​

Salt Typhoon is not two dudes in a basement playing video games on their computers. These individuals organized with an organization and with resources are not some fringe group. There are multiple experts who believe they have support from the Chinese - whether that is hackers in China or whether they are getting help from the local tech companies.

The threat group targets governments, large corporations, and critical infrastructures such as power and communication. In layman's terms, they want to find a high-value target that can result in wide-reaching damage.

How Do They Get In?​

So, how do they do it? They have a very simple process:

• Fake emails (phishing): tricking people into giving up their passwords.

• Malware: tiny programs that sneak into computers without the user knowing they have entered.

• Cloud attacks: stealing data stored online.

• Spy tools: tailored programs to observe how things happen and assert control of systems.

They don't just infiltrate and then leave. They come in and stay around for months, observing their new environment quietly.

The Chinese Tech Connection is What Freaks People Out​

This is what starts to worry people. Some reports have suggested that the hackers were associated with Chinese tech companies.

This does not necessarily mean that Chinese companies are bad. But for people that poses a lot of questions. Are these hackers working from their own agenda or are they being used to forward a larger agenda?

What We Can Take Away from This​

Let's be honest - we all have received unsolicited emails at least once in our lives. I almost made the mistake of selecting “reset your password" because, for a second, I thought they had reset my email or password or something, and my brain had simply not caught up to it yet. It's a beautiful little trick that hackers utilize.

Here are my best practices for protection:

• Do not click links you do not know.
• Do keep your software updated.
• Enable two-step login (MFA).
• Always backup your data.

It’s not just a concern for companies – everyone with cell phone or computer is a target.

Final Thoughts​

Salt Typhoon is not going away. If it gets funding from Chinese tech companies, they could get worse. The bad part? Their attack method is often stealthy, and no one realizes until it is too late. The upside is we are all able to lessen our risk, so long we remain ever vigilant. So the next time you read that "urgent" email asking for your password - STOP, THINK and CHECK IT a couple of times!