The FBI has successfully shut down a significant China-backed hacking group known as “Volt Typhoon,” which had been targeting U.S. cyber infrastructure. FBI Director Christopher Wray revealed this development during a House committee hearing, emphasizing the group’s infiltration into hundreds of routers, particularly in office and home-office environments. Code-named Volt Typhoon, the hackers facilitated access to sensitive data for the Chinese government, exploiting outdated routers considered “easy targets.”
The hacking activities extended to critical U.S. infrastructure, including water treatment plants, the power grid, oil and natural gas pipelines, and transportation systems. Wray highlighted the continuous and active threats posed by such groups, emphasizing their role in economic security threats, innovation theft, and the compromise of personal and corporate data.
Microsoft had previously raised awareness about the Volt Typhoon hackers in May, pointing out their activities dating back to 2021. The company urged affected customers to enhance their security measures in response to the growing threat. According to Jen Easterly, Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the sophistication of these hacks has increased, with Chinese hackers adept at seamlessly embedding themselves within a computer’s operating system, making identification challenging.
Wray acknowledged the FBI’s specific focus on preventing Chinese election interference, particularly given the ongoing presidential race. Recent reports of China-backed disinformation campaigns targeting Taiwan’s presidential election highlighted the global reach of such activities. Easterly reassured the public about the integrity of U.S. election infrastructure, acknowledging efforts to safeguard against foreign interference.
Concerns were raised about popular apps like TikTok potentially providing a gateway for the Chinese Communist Party to influence U.S. elections. TikTok’s collection of private user data and its compliance with Chinese government mandates raised alarms, suggesting a possible avenue for interference.
These developments echo a series of warnings regarding China’s growing threat to U.S. cybersecurity. In July, Chinese hackers compromised the email accounts of the U.S. ambassador to China and other officials. The U.S. government also identified and neutralized a Chinese spy balloon last year. Wray has consistently sounded the alarm on China’s espionage activities, emphasizing the need for vigilance.
The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, formed in the previous year to scrutinize and regulate U.S.-China relations, remains at the forefront of addressing these challenges. Chinese officials criticized the committee’s establishment, calling for a departure from what they deemed ideological bias and a Cold War mentality among U.S. lawmakers. The ongoing efforts by the FBI and other agencies underscore the importance of safeguarding critical infrastructure and countering cyber threats in an increasingly interconnected world.