Lumen Technologies Details

Lumen Technologies

Monroe, Louisiana • 39000 employees • Telecommunications

https://www.lumen.com

United States

Industry

Telecommunications

Security Incidents

Lumen Technologies, formerly known as CenturyLink, is a telecommunications company that provides a range of communication and data services. Its primary purpose is to offer advanced networking and connectivity solutions through its vast global fiber network. Lumen plays a vital role in delivering internet, voice, and data management solutions to both residential and commercial customers, as well as large enterprises and government entities.

Established in 1930 as Central Telephone & Electronics, the company underwent significant transformations over the years. It rebranded to CenturyLink in 2...
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Security Incidents

Lumen Technologies Breach of Oct 2024

Severity Score

Significant to High

Type

3rd Party Compromise

Summary

In early October 2024, a cyberattack attributed to a Chinese state-affiliated group, known as Salt Typhoon, targeted major U.S. telecommunications companies including Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen Technologies. The incident involved unauthorized access to systems used for court-ordered wiretaps, potentially giving the hackers opportunities to access sensitive U.S. communication data. The breach remained undetected for several months, raising concerns about national security due to the nature of the compromised systems.

Salt Typhoon, which has been linked to Chinese cyber espionage activities, is ...
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Severity

The Chinese APT group Salt Typhoon infiltrated the networks of several U.S. broadband providers, including Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen Technologies, which poses a notable risk to U.S. national security. The hackers potentially gained access to systems used for lawful wiretapping and communication data-sharing with U.S. law enforcement, maintaining network access possibly for several months. This breach raises significant concerns about the Chinese capabilities for intelligence-gathering via cyber means and the possibility of future disruptions during geopolitical tensions.

This incident highligh...
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Impact

The Salt Typhoon cyber incident, linked to a Chinese APT group, comprised a significant breach targeting major U.S. telecommunications companies like Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen Technologies. This breach potentially exposed systems used for lawful wiretapping, thereby posing a severe national security threat. With access to these systems, Salt Typhoon gained the ability to intercept sensitive internet traffic and potentially compromise court-ordered wiretap data.

While the primary motive appears to be espionage rather than infrastructure disruption, the scope of data exposure remains under inves...
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