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Japan Times
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Japan Times
Chinese hacked U.S. telecom a year before known wireless breaches
Corporate investigators found evidence that Chinese hackers broke into an American telecommunications company in the summer of 2023, indicating the country's attackers penetrated the U.S. communications system earlier than publicly known. Investigators working for the telecommunications firm discovered last year that malware used by Chinese state-backed hacking groups was on the company's systems for seven months starting in the summer of 2023, according to a document and two people familiar with the matter. The document, an unclassified report sent to Western intelligence agencies, doesn't name the company where the malware was found and the people familiar with the matter declined to identify it. The 2023 intrusion at an American telecommunications company came about a year before U.S. government officials and cybersecurity companies said they began spotting clues that Chinese hackers had penetrated many of the country's largest phone and wireless firms. The U.S. government has blamed the later breaches on a Chinese state-backed hacking group dubbed Salt Typhoon. It's unclear if the 2023 hack is related to that foreign espionage campaign and, if so, to what degree. Nonetheless, it raises questions about when Chinese intruders established a foothold in the American communications industry. "We've known for a long time that this infrastructure has been vulnerable and was likely subject to attack,' said Marc Rogers, a cybersecurity and telecommunications expert. "What this shows us is that it was attacked, and that going as far back as 2023, the Chinese were compromising our telecom companies.' A representative of the Chinese government embassy in Washington emphasized in a statement the difficulty of determining the origins of hacks, and said the U.S. and its allies have been responsible for cyberattacks on China. "The relevant party needs to stop using cybersecurity to smear and slander China, and stop spreading all kinds of disinformation about the so-called Chinese hacking threats,' said spokesperson Liu Pengyu. Representatives of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency all declined to comment. In the Salt Typhoon compromises, U.S. officials have said, hackers infiltrated AT&T, Verizon and seven other U.S. telecommunications companies, vacuuming up the personal data of millions of Americans and targeting the phones of the presidential candidate Donald Trump, his running mate JD Vance and then-Vice President Kamala Harris. Those hacks were part of a "multi-year operation' that "breached multiple layers of major telecom networks,' Laura Galante, director of the Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence from 2022 until January, said in written testimony to Congress in April. It was as the government and telecommunication industry was racing to counter those hacks in the fall of 2024 that cybersecurity investigators found evidence of the 2023 breach. That discovery followed a tip from U.S. intelligence agencies, said one of the people. At various points during the response to the Salt Typhoon hacks, U.S. intelligence services advised companies to look for a specific piece of Chinese malware, known as Demodex, according to that person and two others familiar with the matter. They all spoke on condition that they not be identified discussing the sensitive information. Demodex is a "rootkit' that gives hackers deep and secretive access to an infected machine. Several cybersecurity companies have said in public reports that Demodex has been used by a Chinese hacking group that's targeted telecommunication companies and governments in Southeast Asia. The malware has also been tied to the Salt Typhoon attackers, as well as other hacking groups, and was used in attacks on telecommunications firms in Thailand, Afghanistan and Indonesia, said Allan Liska, a threat analyst at the security firm Recorded Future. The malicious program was developed by employees of companies that work for the Chinese Ministry of State Security, said Michael Freeman, the head of threat intelligence at cybersecurity firm Armis. Freeman said his firm has spent years tracking the work of one of the developers. In the 2023 U.S. telecommunications breach, hackers accessed the computers of IT administrators at the company, the two people said. The investigation found that the malware had been on the firm's systems until late winter of 2024, according to the report, which was sent to American and other Western intelligence agencies last October. The report only identifies the company where the malware was found as being "known for providing services to the defense, travel and logistics industries.' It's unclear what the hackers did once they were inside the breached machines because Demodex is designed to leave few digital traces, the people said. The malware includes code that temporarily terminates a common Microsoft security program, Defender, according to the report. While that safeguard is down, the report states, the program takes steps to hide itself and future activity. A spokesperson representing Microsoft, Michelle Rose Micor, declined to comment.
IOL News
22-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Port Natal Bowls bowlers fly the flag in Gqeberha
Marc Rogers Hillary's Marc Rogers in his quest for an Open Singles medal. Photo: SUPPLIED Image: SUPPLIED Cheryl Waterman The Bowls South Africa Men's Nationals are well underway in Gqeberha, and after intense sectional play and opening knockout rounds in the pairs, open singles and veteran singles, the Port Natal Bowls contingent are delivering impressive results and proving their mettle against the best bowlers in the country. Of the 17 PNB pairs entries, two teams are still in contention for national honours. Wayne Roberts and John Peacock from Hillcrest Bowling Club have stormed through to the last 16. Their PNB counterparts, Ruuan Victor and Keegan Bauristhene (entered as Amanzimtoti BC), face a must-win clash against Mike Underwood and Logan Subramony of Comrades BC (Border Bowls). Should Victor and Bauristhene prevail, they'll be set up for a PNB showdown against Roberts and Peacock on Friday in a battle to progress to the quarter-final. In the open singles, 14 PNB bowlers endured a gruelling day of sectional matches and early playoff rounds this past Monday. Westville Bowling Club will be particularly proud of their bowlers, with Paul White – the 2023 national singles champion and 2024 runner-up – alongside Matthew Mayo and Dion Audie, all advancing. Marc Rogers from Hillary BC also remains in contention, rounding off a strong showing from the district. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Roger Boulle and Arnold Muscat Westville's Roger Boulle and Arnold Muscat (with PNB President Steve Kelf) are still in the hunt for Veteran Singles silverware. Photo: SUPPLIED Image: SUPPLIED In the veteran singles, PNB entered 13 hopefuls, with Westville BC bowlers once again shining. Roger Boulle, Lionel van Niekerk, Arnold Muscat and Lance Mansfield will join Hennie Heyns from Mount Edgecombe CC as they push forward in pursuit of national titles. Their continued success is a testament to the depth of experience and quality within the district's veteran ranks. The Bowls South Africa Nationals are not only a showcase of talent, but also a test of endurance, focus and resilience. PNB can be justifiably proud of its bowlers' performances and the strong representation still in the hunt for silverware. Paul White Westville BC's Paul White looking for a third consecutive National Singles medal. Photo: SUPPLIED Image: SUPPLIED Back on local greens, there's no shortage of action this weekend. Westville Country Club will host the PNB Open and Veteran Ladies Singles playoffs on Saturday, with the semis and finals set for Sunday. Twenty-five women will vie for the Open Singles title, with play starting at 8.30am on Saturday, followed by the last 16 at 11am, and the final rounds on Sunday. The remaining 15 Veteran ladies will play for a place in the quarter-final on Saturday morning, and the four semi-finalists will return on Sunday morning.
