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Chinese Hackers ‘Salt Typhoon’ Hit Viasat

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Cybercrime
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Cyberwarfare / Nation-State Attacks
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Fraud Management & Cybercrime

Also, Researchers Exploit Tesla Wall Connector Via Charging Cable

Anviksha More (AnvikshaMore) •
June 19, 2025    

Breach Roundup: Chinese Hackers 'Salt Typhoon' Hit Viasat
Image: Shutterstock/ISMG

Every week, ISMG rounds up cybersecurity incidents and breaches around the world. This week: Chinese Salt Typhoon hackers hit Viasat, researchers exploited a Tesla wall connector, Sitecore CMS flaws puts organizations at risk. Krispy Kreme disclosed hacking damage, Archetyp Market was taken down. Episource disclosed a ransomware hack to U.S. regulators, and Spain ruled out cyberattack for the April Iberian blackout.

See Also: On Demand | Global Incident Response Report 2025

Viasat Breach Tied to China-Linked Cyberespionage Campaign

Add satellite firm Viasat to the list of U.S. telecoms breached during the 2024 U.S. presidential campaign by Chinese nation-state cyberespionage hackers tracked as Salt Typhoon, reported Bloomberg. The breach, discovered earlier this year, involved unauthorized access through a compromised device, Viasat told Bloomberg. The satellite communications provider said it found evidence of customer impact and believes the incident is now contained.

Salt Typhoon targeted major telecom firms like Verizon, AT&T and Lumen, intercepting telephone conversations for some high-level government and political figures including then-candidate President Donald Trump and his running mate, Vice President JD Vance. Hackers also observed broad swaths of metadata tied to voice and text messaging – comprising who, what, where and when – for a large group of individuals, primarily based in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area (see: CISA First Spotted Salt Typhoon Hackers in Federal Networks).

Researchers Exploit Tesla Wall Connector Via Charging Cable

Security firm Synacktiv revealed a novel vulnerability in Tesla’s Wall Connector EV charger. Researchers exploited a logic bug by reverse-engineering an undocumented firmware update path through the vehicle’s charge port connector, allowing them to install malicious firmware.

The attack used non-standard Single-Wire CAN communication on the charger’s Control Pilot line, normally used for EV charge coordination. Synacktiv built a hardware “Tesla simulator” using a Raspberry Pi and modified CAN dongle to mimic Tesla car signals and trigger the firmware download process over the cable. Because the charger’s firmware lacked signature validation or anti-downgrade protection, the team downgraded to an older debug build that exposed a TCP shell and allowed Wi‑Fi credential extraction via UDS commands.

Sitecore CMS flaws Put 22,000 Organizations at Risk

Security experts are warning all organizations that use Sitecore’s Experience Platform content management system to ensure they’ve installed fixes for critical vulnerabilities.

The most serious flaw featured hardcoded credentials. “By default, recent versions of Sitecore shipped with a user that had a hardcoded password of ‘b,'” said Benjamin Harris, CEO and founder of watchTowr. “It’s 2025, and we can’t believe we still have to say this, but that’s very bad.”

Based in San Francisco, Sitecore is used by about 22,000 organizations. The company counts among its customers Blue Younder, CIMIC Group, Equifax, INEOS Automotive, QBE, RAI Amsterdam, Shure, United Airlines and Zurich Insurance Group.

The vendor distributed a patch to all users last month, watchTowr said, advising users to install it immediately if they hadn’t yet done so, since it’s discovered three vulnerabilities that can be chained together to take full control of vulnerable Sitecore software.

“This isn’t theoretical: we’ve run the full chain, end-to-end,” Harris said. “If you’re running Sitecore, it doesn’t get worse than this – rotate creds and patch immediately before attackers inevitably reverse-engineer the fix.”

Hackers Dunk on Krispy Kreme Donuts

American doughnut purveyor Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation is notifying 161,676 individuals – mostly current and former employees and family members – that their personal details were exposed after hackers breached its IT infrastructure.

The publicly traded company said Krispy Kreme said it first learned of the intrusion in November 2024, although didn’t say how (see: Krispy Kreme Discovers Cybersecurity Hole).

More stories

“We immediately began taking steps to investigate, contain and remediate the incident with the assistance of leading cybersecurity experts,” the company said in a breach notification filed Wednesday.

The company told breach victims that “on May 22, 2025, we determined that certain of your personal information was impacted by this incident,” adding that “this notification has not been delayed as the result of a law enforcement investigation.” It’s offering victims prepaid identity theft monitoring via Kroll.

The company says affected data includes Social Security number, date of birth, driver’s license and financial and payment accounts – including access credentials.

Archetyp Market Taken Down

Several European law enforcement agencies Monday took down Archetyp Market, a long-serving darkweb online marketplace with 3,200 vendors and 600,000 users.

Spanish police arrested a German national, a suspected creator and administrator of Archetyp Market. Europol estimates the platform facilitated drug sales worth at least 250 million euros.

Authorities in the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Sweden and Romania took part in the operation, which resulted in the police seizing the platform servers from the Netherlands. Authorities also arrested one platform moderator and six top vendors from Germany, and confiscated 7.8 million euros from the suspects.

Ransomware Breach at Episource

California-based medical coding and risk adjustment services firm Episource LLC reported to U.S. federal regulators that a ransomware hack discovered in February affected the protected health information of nearly 5.42 million individuals.

Episource reported the incident to HHS on June 6, but HHS’ Office for Civil Rights only posted the entry to its public HIPAA Breach Reporting Tool website on Wednesday.

The company has also has been filing breach reports to various state regulators – including Texas and California – over the last two weeks (see: 2 Software Firms Report Major Health Data Theft Hacks).

Some of Episource’s healthcare sector clients that were affected by the hack have also issued their own breach notices about the incident, including healthcare delivery system Sharp HealthCare in California and health insurer Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

Episource has not publicly revealed how many clients were affected by the hack. The company in its breach notice said its investigation into the incident found that a cybercriminal was able to access and take copies of some data in its computer systems between Jan. 27 and Feb. 6.

Episource said it is currently not aware of any misuse of the data and that the company notified law enforcement.

Spain Confirms Grid Failure, Not Cyberattack, Behind April Blackout

Spain’s government formally ruled out a cyberattack as the cause of an April 28 blackout that darkened the Iberian Peninsula for up to 24 hours. The cause, said Minister for Ecological Transition in a Tueday press conference, was a surge that wasn’t correctly dampened and propagated through the grid, reported El País.


An official report blames grid operator Red Eléctrica and several power companies. The report pointed to “multifactorial” causes for the prolonged outage including inadequate contingency planning and failures by at least nine power plants to regulate or absorb excess voltage.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez initially refused to dismiss the cyberattack theory despite Red Eléctrica quickly discarding it as a hypothesis. The Spanish government is preparing a royal decree to strengthen oversight and update operational protocols.

Other Stories From Last Week


With reporting from Information Security Media Group’s Mathew Shwartz in Scotland, Akshaya Asokan in southern England and Marianne Kolbasuk McGee in the Boston exurbs.





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    Boosting Cybersecurity for Small Businesses: Effective Strategies for Task Automation

    Small businesses face increasing cyber threats that can jeopardize their sensitive data, finances, and reputation. While implementing robust cybersecurity measures is crucial, small business owners often struggle with limited resources and expertise. However, with the advancements in automation technology, small businesses can leverage automated tools and processes to enhance their cyber defense. This article explores the best ways for small businesses to automate cybersecurity tasks, empowering them to safeguard their digital assets effectively.

    Employing Automated Threat Detection

    One of the primary challenges in cybersecurity is the timely identification and response to potential threats. Small businesses can automate threat detection by deploying security information and event management (SIEM) or intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS). These tools analyze network traffic, log files, and system events, promptly alerting business owners to suspicious activities or potential breaches. Automating threat detection reduces the burden of manual monitoring and ensures faster incident response.

    Implementing Patch Management Systems

    Cybercriminals often exploit software vulnerabilities to illicitly gain access to systems. Small businesses can automate the patch management process to keep their software and systems current. Patch management tools can scan the network, identify outdated software, and deploy necessary updates automatically. By automating patch management, businesses can significantly reduce the risk of exploitation through known vulnerabilities.

    Enabling Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

    Weak or stolen passwords are often responsible for security breaches. Small businesses can enhance authentication security by implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) systems. MFA adds a layer of protection by requiring users to provide multiple credentials, such as a password, a unique code generated by a mobile app, or a biometric scan. By automating MFA, businesses can fortify access controls and prevent unauthorized access attempts.

    Automating Security Auditing and Compliance

    Compliance with industry regulations and standards is crucial for small businesses, as non-compliance can lead to severe penalties. Automating security auditing and compliance processes can help small businesses meet these requirements efficiently. Utilizing automated tools that scan systems for vulnerabilities, assess configurations, and generate compliance reports simplifies the auditing process. This automation ensures that businesses can identify security gaps and address compliance issues promptly.

    Deploying Automated Data Backups and Recovery

    Data loss can have catastrophic consequences for small businesses. Automating regular data backups and implementing disaster recovery solutions is essential. Cloud-based backup services can automatically back up critical data, minimizing the risk of data loss due to hardware failures, cyberattacks, or natural disasters. Automated backups ensure that businesses can quickly restore their systems and operations in the event of a breach or data loss incident.

    Educating Employees with Security Awareness Training

    Cybersecurity incidents are often attributed to human error, making them a prominent contributing factor. Automating security awareness training can help small businesses educate their employees and cultivate a strong security culture. Deploying automated training modules or simulated phishing campaigns can teach employees about common threats, safe browsing practices, and incident reporting procedures. Automating these training initiatives ensures consistent and ongoing education for all staff members.

    As cyber threats continue to evolve, small businesses must adopt proactive cybersecurity measures to protect their sensitive data and operations. By embracing automation, small businesses can effectively enhance their cyber defense capabilities. From automated threat detection and patch management to multi-factor authentication and data backups, these automation strategies provide small businesses with robust security solutions despite limited resources. Small businesses can mitigate risks, safeguard their digital assets, and focus on growth and innovation by automating cybersecurity tasks.

    What Is Ethical Hacking? Unraveling the Enigma of Cybersecurity's Guardians

    In the vast realm of cyberspace, where shadows dance and digital footprints intertwine, the concept of hacking often conjures up images of malicious cyberattacks and occult breaches. But hidden within this landscape, some cybersecurity professionals use their skills to protect and defend. They are known as ethical hackers, the unsung heroes of our technology-driven world.

    The Vital Role of Ethical Hackers in Cybersecurity

    The role of an ethical hacker is vital within the cybersecurity industry. Armed with a wealth of knowledge and experience, these experts embark on a noble quest: to uncover vulnerabilities and safeguard the integrity of digital systems. Their mission? To perform risk assessments and test the foundations of security in organizations.

    To achieve their goal, ethical hackers immerse themselves in the expanse of security breaches, exploits, and vulnerability scenarios. They leave no stone unturned. Their goal is to protect organizations from malicious attacks, ensuring that the digital fortress remains untouchable.

    Don't underestimate the importance of ethical hacking. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, cybersecurity has never been more pressing. According to a report by Emergen Research, the cybersecurity industry is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.0% to 13.4% from 2022 to 2030. This surge in demand reflects the critical importance of ethical hackers in fortifying digital infrastructure against the relentless onslaught of cyber threats.

    Embracing the Journey: Continuous Learning and Certification for Ethical Hackers

    Becoming an ethical hacker requires diverse skills and knowledge. Understanding the types of hackers is crucial, as it provides insights into how they operate. Armed with this knowledge, ethical hackers delve into cutting-edge tools and techniques. They leverage their skills to identify vulnerabilities and devise countermeasures.

    The responsibilities of an ethical hacker transcend merely identifying weaknesses. They also recommend solutions and implement robust security measures. Their expertise helps organizations fortify their defenses, minimize breaches, and protect sensitive data from falling into the wrong hands.

    The Tools of Ethical Hacking

    Curious about the tools an ethical hacker uses? They have access to a diverse range of tools. These tools allow them to probe and analyze digital systems, uncover weaknesses, and assess the resilience of security measures. While the specific tools vary based on the objectives and preferences of individual ethical hackers, there are several standard tools they employ. 

    One such tool is the ever-popular Nmap (Network Mapper). Nmap is a powerful network scanning and mapping tool that allows ethical hackers to examine hosts and services on a network. It helps identify open ports, detect potential entry points, and provides a comprehensive overview of the network's structure. By leveraging Nmap's capabilities, ethical hackers gain valuable insights into the system's vulnerabilities, enabling them to devise targeted strategies for fortification.

    Another essential tool in the ethical hacker's arsenal is Metasploit. Metasploit is an open-source framework that facilitates penetration testing and vulnerability assessment. It offers a wide range of exploits, payloads, and auxiliary modules, empowering ethical hackers to simulate real-world attack scenarios. Employing Metasploit's extensive collection of exploit codes, ethical hackers can uncover weaknesses, gain unauthorized access, and assess the system's defenses against potential threats.

    WireShark, a network protocol analyzer, is another indispensable tool for ethical hackers. It allows them to capture and examine network traffic, providing deep insights into the packets traversing the network. With WireShark, ethical hackers can scrutinize individual packets, analyze network protocols, and identify suspicious or malicious activity. This tool enables them to detect anomalies, trace the origin of potential security breaches, and assess the security posture of the network.

    Additionally, Burp Suite, a web application security testing tool, plays a significant role in the ethical hacker's toolkit. Burp Suite allows hackers to intercept, analyze, and modify HTTP/S traffic between web browsers and servers. It helps uncover vulnerabilities in web applications, including SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery). Ethical hackers can use Burp Suite to identify weaknesses in web applications, effectively fortify defenses, and protect against potential attacks.

    These are just a few examples of the standard tools ethical hackers use. Ethical hacking is constantly evolving, and new tools and techniques regularly emerge to adapt to the ever-changing threat landscape. Ethical hackers leverage these tools to assess and strengthen the security posture of organizations, helping safeguard sensitive information, protect against cyber threats, and ensure the resilience of digital systems in an increasingly interconnected world.

    Ethical Hackers Need Ongoing Education

    For aspiring ethical hackers, continuous learning and certification awaits. Acquiring industry-recognized certifications not only validates their skills, but also opens doors to a myriad of career opportunities. Certifications such as Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP), and Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) provide the credentials to excel in this demanding and ever-evolving field.

    Conclusion

    The expertise of digital hackers safeguards digital life, upholding the principles of integrity, confidentiality, and trust. The growth of the cybersecurity industry reflects the need for ethical hackers, stressing the ever-present demand for their unique skills. So, acknowledge and appreciate these unsung heroes, the vanguards of cybersecurity who tirelessly battle in the shadows to preserve the sanctity of the digital realm -- and be glad they're there. 

    References:

    "Cybersecurity Market, By Component (Hardware, Solution, Service), By Security Type, By Solution, By Application (IT & Telecom, Retail, BFSI, Healthcare, Defense & Government, Manufacturing, Energy, Others), By Region Forecast to 2032". Www.Emergenresearch.Com, 2023, https://www.emergenresearch.com/industry-report/cyber-security-market. Accessed 25 May 2023.

    Cyber Insurance: Why Every Business Needs Coverage

    Businesses in all industries are heavily reliant on technology. Unfortunately, this also makes companies a prime target for a variety of cyber attacks. Despite the best efforts in cybersecurity, no company is entirely immune to these risks. One way to help limit these concerns is to purchase cyber insurance for your business. Often overlooked or deemed unnecessary in the past, cyber insurance is quickly becoming a business necessity, providing a safety net for whenever things go wrong.

    The Ever-Present Threat of Cybercrime

    Cybercrime remains a big threat in the digital landscape. The lucrative nature of these attacks makes businesses of any size a top target of cybercriminals. The cost of a data breach can often cost millions of dollars, which is why it's essential for companies to take additional steps to protect themselves. Cyber threats are also becoming much more sophisticated and more difficult to avoid.

    A cybersecurity incident isn't just about financial loss. One incident can also lead to reputational damage, loss of customer trust, regulatory fines, and even business closure. Developing a robust cybersecurity system is crucial, but it's not foolproof. Investing in cybersecurity insurance for your business can give you much-needed protection against these threats.

    Cyber Insurance: An Essential Safety Net

    Like any insurance, cyber insurance covers financial losses related to cyber incidents. This can include costs associated with data recovery, notification of affected parties, legal fees, public relations efforts, business interruption, and even extortion payments demanded by hackers. In essence, cyber insurance is designed to help a company recover from a cyber attack by mitigating the financial impact. It provides an essential safety net that can make the difference between a company going out of business and staying afloat after a cyber-attack.

    Coverage Tailored to Your Business

    One of the key advantages of cyber insurance is that it can be tailored to fit the specific needs and risk profile of your business. Different businesses have different cyber risks. For example, a healthcare provider may need coverage for patient data breaches, while a retail business might require protection against credit card fraud. Cyber insurance policies can be customized to provide the coverage your business needs most.

    The Rising Importance of Cyber Insurance

    Cyber insurance is growing in importance as businesses become more digital and data-driven. It's not just about whether your business will experience a cyber-attack, but when it will happen. Data privacy laws are becoming more stringent, which means businesses can face hefty fines for failing to adequately protect customer data. Cyber liability insurance can provide coverage for these regulatory fines.

    Cyber Insurance - An Investment Worth Making

    Investing in cyber insurance is like putting on a seatbelt while driving. It doesn't prevent an accident, but it can significantly mitigate the damage if one occurs. Cyber insurance is an essential part of a comprehensive risk management strategy, providing financial protection and peace of mind in a digital age fraught with cyber threats. Regardless of your business size or industry, having cyber insurance can help you navigate the aftermath of a cyber-attack by protecting your financial resources.

    PSL’s Easy Guide to Understanding Cybersecurity

    The world of cybersecurity can often feel like a maze of technobabble and obscure acronyms. Yet in an era where our lives increasingly depend on digital infrastructure, it's important to have a basic understanding of the terminology involved. Learning about cybersecurity can help you avoid common mistakes and limit the chance of becoming a victim of these crimes.

    Here is an overview of common cybersecurity terms.

    1) Cybersecurity

    Let's start with the basics. Cybersecurity is simply the defense against digital attacks that target computers, mobile devices, networks, and servers. These attacks are typically aimed at accessing, changing, or destroying sensitive information, extorting money from users, or interrupting normal business processes.

    2) Malware

    Malware is any malicious software that can damage or infiltrate computers without the user's consent.

    Here are the most well-known types of malware.

    Virus

    Like a biological virus, a computer virus attaches itself to a host (in this case, a file), and spreads when the file is shared, infecting other files and systems.

    Worm

    A worm is a standalone type of malware that will replicate itself to easily spread to other computers through a network.

    Trojan

    Named after the Greek myth, the Trojan horse, a Trojan is a form of malware that attempts to disguise itself as a normal program or file to trick users into either downloading or installing it.

    Ransomware

    This type of malware encrypts the user's files and demands payment to unlock them.

    Spyware

    Spyware is malware that's specifically designed to spy on user activity without their knowledge.

    3) Phishing

    Phishing is a common attack that tries to gain personal information by using deceptive emails and websites. The attacker, masquerading as a trustworthy entity, uses a variety of strategies to trick the victim into opening an instant message, email, or text message.

    4) Firewall

    A firewall is an IT security tool that controls network traffic using predetermined security rules. Think of it as a digital barrier limiting unauthorized access to your network or computer.

    5) VPN (Virtual Private Network)

    A VPN masks your internet protocol (IP) address to make your online actions nearly untraceable. VPN services establish encrypted connections to provide much greater privacy while using the internet.

    6) Encryption

    Encryption converts data into a code to prevent unauthorized access. When data is encrypted, it appears as gibberish unless you have the decryption key to convert it back to its original form.

    7) Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

    2FA is a common security process in which users must provide two different authentication factors to gain access to an account. For example, in addition to a password, you might also need to enter a code sent to your phone.

    8) Darknet/Dark Web

    The darknet or dark web refers to encrypted online networks that aren't indexed by search engines, and they are often used for illicit activities. You need special software (like Tor) to access it.

    9) Data Breach

    A data breach happens whenever secure or private information is released into an untrusted environment. This is often due to a cyberattack on a database, leading to sensitive data being exposed, copied, or used.

    10) Botnet

    A botnet uses a group of private computers that are unknowingly infected with malicious software and are controlled as a group to perform various tasks. Many times botnets are created to send out spam emails or carry out Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.

    Closing Thoughts

    Understanding cybersecurity is not just for the tech-savvy; it's for everyone. We are all potential targets for cyber threats, and comprehension of basic cybersecurity terminology can make a significant difference in safeguarding ourselves and our digital assets.

    Employing cybersecurity measures also helps to keep your digital data safe. This might include using a VPN, enabling two-factor authentication, or simply being wary of suspicious emails to prevent phishing attacks.

    Ultimately, it's not necessary for everyone to be a cybersecurity expert, but a basic understanding of the key terms can be an empowering first step in better securing your digital life. This newfound knowledge can provide you the confidence to navigate the online world with more safety and assurance.