Singtel targeted by Chinese hackers in "test run" for attacks on US targets

Date:
Wed, 06 Nov 2024 14:09:00 +0000

Description:
One of APAC's biggest telcoms was a playground for  Chinese hackers as they
prepare for attacks in the West.

FULL STORY
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Anonymous tipsters say Singtel was breached in June 2024
The group behind the attack
is Volt Typhoon, a known state-sponsored actor Assault was reportedly a test
run before attacks on telecoms in the US 

Infamous Chinese cyber-espionage threat actor Volt Typhoon, allegedly tied to
the countrys government, breached Singtel last summer. 

A report on Bloomberg, citing two people familiar with the matter, claims
hackers used a webshell to breach Singtel, which commented on the breach, but
did not outright confirm it. 

"We understand the importance of network resilience, especially because we 
are a key infrastructure service provider, Singtel said in a statement. 
That's why we adopt industry best practices and work with industry-leading
security partners to continuously monitor and promptly address the threats
that we face on a daily basis. We also regularly review and enhance our
cybersecurity capabilities and defenses to protect our critical assets from
evolving threats." Practicing on Singtel 

The anonymous tipsters also revealed Volt Typhoon wasnt really that 
interested in Singtels intel, but rather used it as practice grounds, a
stepping stone to its actual goal. Apparently, the breach was a test run by
China for further hacks against US telecommunications companies. 

In early February 2024, US security agencies (CISA, NSA, FBI, and others)
warned Volt Typhoon had lurked on the networks of critical US infrastructure
firms for years thanks to living off the land (LOTL) and using stolen
accounts. 

"In fact, the U.S. authoring agencies have recently observed indications of
Volt Typhoon actors maintaining access and footholds within some victim IT
environments for at least five years," the statement said. 

At the same time, the Chinese government denied all allegations, and at one
point even said the group was a CIA asset. In October 2024, the country
published a new paper claiming Volt Typhoon was a US asset , basing its
conclusions on, more than 50 cybersecurity experts who werent named. 

Headquartered in Singapore, Singtel is considered one of Asias biggest
telecommunications providers. It offers a broad range of services, including
mobile, broadband, and fixed-line services, not just in Singapore, but across
the Asia-Pacific region. 

 Via The Register

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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/singtel-targeted-by-chinese-hackers-in-
test-run-for-attacks-on-us-targets

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