“We notified the limited number of customers who were involved and informed law enforcement,” a BeyondTrust spokesperson said.
The company continues to support investigative efforts alongside the U.S. Treasury, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the FBI.
The Treasury letter attributed the attack to a “China state-sponsored Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) actor,” emphasizing the increasing prominence of cyberattacks that exploit trusted third-party services.
U.S. Response to Salt Typhoon
In response to the attack, Deputy National Security Adviser Anne Neuberger issued guidance to companies on detecting Chinese cyber activity within their networks.
Neuberger claims that the breach revealed cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the private sector and showcased China’s advanced hacking capabilities.
“We know that voluntary cybersecurity practices are inadequate to protect against China, Russia, and Iran hacking of our critical infrastructure,” Neuberger stated.
Officials believe the hackers sought to identify government targets of interest, enabling them to intercept communications and collect sensitive information.
China Denies Responsibility
China has vehemently denied involvement in the Salt Typhoon cyberattacks. Mao Ning, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, asserted, “China has always opposed all forms of hacker attacks.”
