US prepares sanctions against China over large-scale cyberattack on telecommunications networks

The United States has identified a ninth telecommunications company that fell victim to a large-scale Chinese espionage operation and is preparing additional sanctions against the PRC. This was reported by Deputy National Security Advisor Anne Neuberger, writes Bloomberg.

According to her, Beijing targeted critical US infrastructure, taking advantage of vulnerabilities in the private sector. For example, at one of the affected companies, cybercriminals gained access to an administrator account that controlled more than 100,000 routers.

“The reality is that China has targeted critical infrastructure in the United States. These are private sector companies, and we continue to see companies not doing basic things. That's why we're looking ahead and saying: Let's block this infrastructure… And frankly, let's hold the Chinese accountable for this,” Neuberger said.

The U.S. Department of Commerce has already banned China Telecom, and it plans to introduce a number of additional measures next month. The Federal Communications Commission is set to vote on new rules to protect critical infrastructure in mid-January.

The exact number of US citizens affected has not yet been determined, but the largest number of attacks were recorded in the Washington and Virginia areas. According to preliminary data from the authorities, fewer than 100 people were affected by the hacking of phone calls and text messages.

The hacker group Salt Typhoon was found responsible for the attacks in the US. Microsoft uses the term “typhoon” to refer to cyber activity originating from or attributed to China.