US Treasury Sanctions Chinese Group Amid Telecom Hack

The U.S. Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on a Chinese cybersecurity firm, Sichuan Juxinhe Network Technology, and a hacker named Yin Kecheng, in connection with the Salt Typhoon hacking group responsible for significant breaches in American telecommunications. The Salt Typhoon group allegedly infiltrated at least nine U.S. telecom providers, including AT&T and Verizon, accessing sensitive communications of government officials and political figures. The sanctions prevent both the firm and Kecheng from engaging in any business transactions within the U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Adewale Adeyemo emphasized the department's commitment to holding cyber actors accountable for targeting U.S. interests. Additionally, the Chinese government has consistently denied involvement in hacking allegations, including those related to the recent Treasury breach. This incident is considered one of the most severe telecom hacks in U.S. history, raising concerns within the intelligence community.