China's Invisible Cyber War: Salt Typhoon and Global Security

An extensive cyberattack by the group Salt Typhoon, linked to China, has raised concerns among experts and officials. The attack, targeting more than 80 countries, is considered the most ambitious and effective for China to date.

Salt Typhoon, also known as GhostEmperor, Earth Estries, FamousSparrow, and UNC2286, has been active since 2019 and has infiltrated telecommunications networks, governments, transportation, hospitality services, and military infrastructures.

According to a joint warning from the US and 19 international partners, the group aims to monitor communications and acquire metadata. Targets included phones used by politicians such as President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance.

Experts warn that Salt Typhoon marks a new era of Chinese capabilities in cyberspace, aiming for complete dominance in the digital space and not just the theft of trade secrets.