A Chinese government-backed hacker group, Volt Typhoon, poses a significant threat to U.S. military bases, particularly Joint Base San Antonio, and potentially to regional water and electricity customers. The group has reportedly inserted malware into numerous water and electric utilities that serve U.S. military installations domestically and internationally. The objective could be to hinder a U.S. military response if China’s People’s Liberation Army invades Taiwan.
San Antonio, home to Fort Sam Houston, JBSA-Randolph, and JBSA-Lackland Air Force bases, is a prime target. The city’s utilities, San Antonio Water System (SAWS) and CPS Energy, may be infected with Volt Typhoon’s malware. CPS Energy, the largest municipally owned utility in the U.S., serves over a million electric and gas customers, while SAWS serves over half a million water and wastewater customers.
The U.S. government is likely assisting these utilities in searching for the malicious code. However, the impact of a potential cyber attack on SAWS and CPS customers remains uncertain. In a worst-case scenario, the power grid could go down, causing widespread and long-lasting disruptions.
Microsoft first raised the alarm about Volt Typhoon’s malware in May, noting its focus on espionage and information gathering. The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency also issued an advisory about the group, stating that the Chinese government-sponsored hackers were active across U.S. critical infrastructure sectors. The Biden administration is reportedly working to locate and neutralize the malicious code.
Source: GovTech
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