Reuters Investigative Report; Hacking Group 'Thunderstorm' Targets the U.S.

Following the news of Chinese hackers infiltrating critical infrastructure in the U.S., Reuters on Thursday, May 25, published an analytical report addressing other dimensions of the 'Thunderstorm' crisis, revealing new hidden aspects from the perspective of cybersecurity officials and experts from America's tech giants. The name of this group evokes a strange and sudden storm, but is 'Thunderstorm' an imminent threat to American infrastructure or just a new product of digital spies playing an old game? According to Reuters, almost all countries in the world use hackers for information theft. Major powers like the United States and Russia have large workshops of such groups, many of which have been given various nicknames by cybersecurity experts, such as 'Equation Group' or 'Fancy Bear'. Future Crises: According to this report, experts' concerns about 'future crises' increase when such groups shift their focus from 'information theft' to 'digital sabotage'. Tech giant Microsoft stated in a blog post on Wednesday that the hacking group 'Thunderstorm' is seeking to develop capabilities that 'could disrupt critical communication infrastructure between the United States and the Asia region during future crises.' This statement somewhat recalls the escalating tensions between China and the U.S. over Taiwan, where any conflict between the two countries would also lead to cyberattacks across the Pacific. Espionage Targets: Mark Bernard from Dell Technologies states that 'Thunderstorm' has so far focused on information theft from 'organizations that hold data related to the military or government in the United States,' indicating that it is 'primarily used for espionage.' Alarm Bells: On the other hand, American tech company Cisco Systems believes that concerning evidence has been observed, indicating that 'Thunderstorm' is preparing for a dangerous future. Stealthy Storm: China typically denies hacking and has resorted to this method again concerning 'Thunderstorm.' However, documentation of Beijing's cyber espionage campaigns has been built over two decades. Earlier, Voice of America reported from Western intelligence agencies and Microsoft that a Chinese hacking group, backed by the Chinese government, has spied on a wide range of U.S. infrastructure, from telecommunications to transportation centers. According to Reuters, Microsoft reported on Wednesday, May 24, that this espionage campaign has targeted the U.S. territory of Guam, which houses strategic U.S. military bases.