Chinese hackers feasted on T-Mobile as their latest cyber espionage victim. The leading carrier in the US is not the only company affected as other telecom giants are at risk of getting infiltrated.
Hackers linked to a Chinese intelligence agency invaded T-Mobile's network in a months-long operation designed to monitor cellphone communications of high-value intelligence targets, according to a report published yesterday by the Wall Street Journal.
Chinese Hackers Target T-Mobile in Latest Cyberattack
The group of hackers broke into T-Mobile's system as part of a long spying campaign on sensitive communications. It is a grave breach of security and shows serious vulnerabilities even in the major telecom companies. There is no timeline for this hack The Wall Street Journal reported that it is unknown whether hackers will have access to call logs and communication records of personal data of T-Mobile customers.
Even so, the breach outlines risks surrounding consumer privacy and national security.
China-Linked Hackers Exploit Telecom Networks
The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency confirmed that China-linked hackers intercepted surveillance data meant for US law enforcement. Several undisclosed telecom companies' systems used for sensitive communications have been affected by the breaches.
This is one of the latest in a wave of alleged Chinese cyberattacks. An earlier report in October stated that broadband providers Verizon Communications, AT&T, and Lumen Technologies were under attack. These were networks used by the U.S. government in court-authorized wiretapping, on which such security issues could have significant implications, according to Reuters.
"T-Mobile is closely monitoring this industry-wide attack," a company spokesperson told Reuters in an email.
"At this time, T-Mobile systems and data have not been impacted in any significant way, and we have no evidence of impacts to customer information."
Beijing Denies Cybersecurity Allegations
While such reports are multiplying, Beijing persists in denying any involvement in cyber espionage activities. The Chinese government has always denied accusations that it uses hackers to tap into foreign computer systems.
State-sponsored hacking campaigns have become hallmarks of modern geopolitical tensions, according to cybersecurity experts even as Beijing denies them. These penetrations of the telecom network best illustrate how vital infrastructure is becoming fair game for espionage.
Cyber Vigilance is a Must
If telecom giants like T-Mobile can be infiltrated even with advanced security systems, how much more are the small and medium businesses across the globe?
Organizations will need to keep pace with increasingly sophisticated cyber threats by improving their security defenses. It's an investment to safeguard customer and company assets.
From training employees to advanced monitoring tools, they could help to mitigate these risks caused by cyber-attacks.
More seriously, telecom providers have a mandate to protect critical information contained in their systems related to their customers and the governments they serve.
Protecting firewalls, adding encryption protocols, and routinely auditing security are among the critical activities used to combat all forms of persistent cyber threats.
Well, T-Mobile needs to step up big-time since there's a chance it might be slapped with another fine for its data security failure. Back in August, the company paid a $60 million fine for the same reason.
