US consumer protection agency prohibits staff mobile communications due to concerns over Chinese cyber espionage

Despite no concrete proof of CFPB being targeted in this unlawful breach, an email was circulated to all CFPB employees and contractors urging compliance with the guidelines to diminish the possibility of compromise.

Rising concerns over espionage targets as data access is discovered

Reports indicate that the infiltration by Salt Typhoon granted access to a substantial amount of data, encompassing call logs, unencrypted messages, and even audio recordings of prominent figures linked to national security and political campaigns, such as individuals associated with the Trump and Harris presidential campaigns as detailed by WSJ.

“The breach by Salt Typhoon, allowing access to call records, unencrypted texts, and audio transmissions, poses a significant risk to national security. This information could disclose sensitive details regarding government activities, defense tactics, and intelligence operations,” mentioned Arjun Chauhan, a senior analyst at Everest Group. “For individuals in critical roles, this infringement jeopardizes personal safety, reveals private communications, and heightens the potential for coercion or extortion.”

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AndyC

Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

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