Hackers may give their groups funny names, like Salt Typhoon, but they’re dangerous to your business. If you haven’t heard, the hacker group in China, Salt Typhoon, infiltrated telecommunications systems worldwide, not just in the US. And they have been poking around for a few years.
The hysteria around the infiltrations centered on access to government systems that use large telecommunication providers, such as Verizon. However, since businesses use the same providers, their systems could be compromised easily, too. The hackers could access emails and text messages.
The hacks focused on political issues, such as spying and manipulating elections. Poor security and outdated telecom infrastructure reportedly made getting in and escaping detection easy. This made it difficult to expel the hackers, so not all systems were clean as of early December.
How do you avoid the risk of your business or your customers being affected by this hack? Begin using encrypted messaging such as Signal, WhatsApp, and iMessage. Update all your device software regularly. Use MFA or multi-factor authentication.
Are you using Cisco or Fortinet gear? Do you have unpatched gear? Salt Typhoon gained access through unpatched Cisco and Fortinet gear.
You could be a target if your small business caters to international companies or offers logistics services. Don’t assume that infiltration hasn’t happened because you’re a small business. The extent of the infiltration remains unknown.
Author: Kris Keppeler is a writer who finds technology fascinating and loves humor. She writes on Medium.com. She is also an award-winning podcast producer who enjoys telling funny stories. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) @KrisNarrates or on LinkedIn.
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