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The US Treasury Department sanctioned a Chinese cybersecurity firm, Sichuan Juxinhe, and a Shanghai-based hacker, Yin Kecheng, for their involvement in the Salt Typhoon cyberattacks. These attacks targeted major US telecom companies, compromising sensitive data and the US Treasury’s network, including systems used for sanctions and foreign investment reviews, and even impacted the computer of the outgoing Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. This highlights the ongoing sophisticated cyber espionage campaigns from China targeting critical infrastructure and government entities within the US and globally. The sanctioned entities are directly linked to the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS), and used a combination of zero-day exploits and other techniques for infiltrating networks and exfiltrating data. The compromise of the Department of the Treasury’s network is considered a major breach, potentially impacting national security due to access to sensitive information.

The U.S. government is investigating TP-Link routers for potential national security risks due to their alleged use in cyberattacks. This could lead to a ban on TP-Link routers in 2025, raising concerns about supply chain security and the vulnerability of network infrastructure. This situation underscores the complexities of global cybersecurity and the challenges of identifying and mitigating risks associated with network hardware, highlighting the importance of thorough supply chain risk management and security audits for network devices.

Amazon is facing scrutiny from the US House Select Committee on China regarding its growing partnership with TikTok. The Committee summoned Amazon staffers in September to discuss concerns about the partnership, particularly in light of TikTok’s Chinese ownership. This development highlights increasing concerns about the potential security risks associated with TikTok and its access to user data. The Committee’s investigation raises questions about the potential for TikTok to be used as a tool for Chinese government espionage or influence operations. The investigation underscores the growing global tension surrounding data security and the potential for tech companies with ties to foreign governments to be used for nefarious purposes.