China's hacking machine wants your data and knows how to get it
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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
The targets of the latest mega-hack from from China's digital spies included President Trump, Vice President Vance and, most likely, you.
Why it matters: It doesn't matter what China-linked technology companies the U.S. and allies ban. Beijing's hackers are still finding fresh ways into global networks — and now they're expanding to ordinary citizens' data.
Driving the news: "I can't imagine any American was spared given the breadth of the campaign," Cynthia Kaiser, a former top FBI cyber official who oversaw investigations into China's Salt Typhoon hacks, told the N.Y. Times.
- The Times' story follows last week's FBI warning that the campaign has spread to 600 companies in 80 countries.
- Nearly two dozen Western security services also co-signed an advisory warning about the intrusions.
The big picture: Salt Typhoon is a significant shift for digital warfare.
- China's hacking machine is no longer just after governments or telecom backbones. It's also scooping up mass troves of personal data.
- The Chinese Embassy to the United States did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Flashback: The 2014 hack on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management affected federal government employees.
- The 2021 hack of Microsoft Exchange servers targeted foreign governments and key industry customers.
- Even the ongoing Volt Typhoon hacks are focused purely on infiltrating U.S. critical infrastructure to disrupt operations during a future crisis, not stealing personal information.
- It's not entirely clear what the hackers hope to achieve now by scooping up so much data on Americans, but data is valuable currency for everything from building AI models to conducting future cyberattacks.
Between the lines: Beijing relies not only on government units but also on contractor firms, complicating attribution and diplomatic responses.
- Last week's advisory tied multiple China-based companies directly to Salt Typhoon operations.
What to watch: China is far from the only nation hacking into U.S. systems and spying on Americans.
- Vladimir Putin's Russia does skilled disinformation and supply chain attacks while Kim Jong-un's North Korea specializes in crypto hacks, IT worker fraud and other cybercrime.
- Both just attended Chinese President Xi Jinping's military parade this week.
Go deeper: Beijing's hackers are playing the long game
