A state-sponsored actor known as Salt Typhoon has been actively exploiting a critical Cisco flaw to compromise a telecommunications network. Authorities from Canada have reported that this advanced persistent threat group is leveraging a known vulnerability in Cisco network devices to gain unauthorized access. The objective appears to be espionage and intelligence gathering, allowing Salt Typhoon to maintain persistent access within the target network infrastructure. This activity highlights the severe risks posed by nation-state actors targeting critical infrastructure and the importance of immediately patching known vulnerabilities. Experts emphasize that organizations, particularly in the telecommunications sector, must prioritize patching and enhance their detection capabilities to counter sophisticated threats like Salt Typhoon exploiting weaknesses in widely used network equipment. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing cyber threats faced by essential service providers globally.
Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/canada-says-salt-typhoon-hacked-telecom-firm-via-cisco-flaw/
