What do we know about the hacker attack in Guam

5 June 20231 year ago babelfish

Microsoft has provided details of the hack attack against the US military base in Guam.

Microsoft, along with cybersecurity agencies that are part of the Five Eyes alliance, also released details of the May 24 covert malware attack on the US military base in Guam.

THE ROLE OF VOLT TYPHOON

The attack was carried out by a Beijing-sponsored hacker group codenamed "Volt Typhoon" and relied on " living-off-the-land techniques," according to the Microsoft report .

Volt Typhoon has been active since mid-2021 and has also targeted critical infrastructure in Guam.

Microsoft believes the hackers are “testing the development of cyberwarfare capabilities that would be intended to disrupt critical communications infrastructure between the United States and the Asian region in the event of future crises.

Impacted organizations include the communications, manufacturing, utility, transportation, construction, shipping, government, information technology and education sectors, as identified by the report.

THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF GUAM

Located in the Western Pacific, Guam is home to three military bases, including Andersen Air Force Base, Naval Base Guam, and Naval Base Apra Harbor. These bases have played a significant role in major conflicts, such as World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

If China were to attack Japan, Guam is the closest US military facility through which the US would send military assistance to help Japan. But Guam is also the key strategic hub for the United States that could serve in the event of a Chinese attack on the Philippines or against Taiwan.

This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/mondo/guam-attacco-hacker-cosa-sappiamo/ on Mon, 05 Jun 2023 05:47:42 +0000.