Suspected Chinese hackers allegedly breached the U.S. Navy as part of a broader campaign that cybersecurity experts believe was intended to disrupt communications in the Pacific region ahead of a possible crisis.
U.S. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro told CNBC on Thursday that the Navy was impacted by a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group dubbed Volt Typhoon, which has been accused of breaching government, communications, manufacturing and IT organizations. Microsoft Corp., which named the group and warned of the breaches on Wednesday, said the hackers had gained access to targets in the U.S. and Guam, which is home to a key U.S. military installation in the Pacific.
Microsoft said it had "moderate confidence” the breaches were carried out in preparation to upend communications in the event of a future crisis. The company’s disclosure came amid mounting concerns that China might take military action to enforce its claim to the self-ruled island of Taiwan.