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Viasat Confirmed as Victim of Chinese Salt Typhoon Cyberespionage Campaign

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Satellite communications firm Viasat Inc has been identified as a victim of the Salt Typhoon cyberespionage operation linked to China during the 2024 U.S. presidential campaign, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the investigation.

The breach was discovered earlier this year. Viasat, working alongside a government investigation and an independent cybersecurity partner, found evidence of unauthorized access through a compromised device but stated there was no evidence of customer data being affected.

“Viasat believes that the incident has been remediated and has not detected any recent activity related to this event,” the company said in a statement.

U.S. officials have previously accused Salt Typhoon hackers of breaching multiple telecom companies—including Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen—stealing sensitive telephone audio intercepts and extensive call records. In December, the government added a ninth unnamed telecom firm to the list of victims, revealing the hackers had broad network access to track millions of individuals and record phone calls.

Reportedly, Salt Typhoon targeted individuals connected to both major presidential campaigns, including those of Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump.

China has denied the allegations, labeling them as disinformation and asserting Beijing’s opposition to cyberattacks and cyber theft.

Italy’s Leonardo to Acquire European Cybersecurity Firm Amid Sector Expansion

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Leonardo (LDOF.MI), Italy’s state-controlled aerospace and defense giant, is preparing to announce the acquisition of a European cybersecurity company, according to comments made Tuesday by Chairman Stefano Pontecorvo in an interview with Reuters.

While Pontecorvo did not disclose the identity of the target firm or specify a closing timeline, he emphasized the strategic importance of the deal. “Cybersecurity is an essential component in so-called multi-domain warfare, where everything is connected with everything,” he said. “Connections must be secure so that the enemy cannot use parts of a system.”

The move aligns with Leonardo’s broader strategy to consolidate and grow its cybersecurity operations, which the company sees as a critical pillar in modern defense architecture.

Back in October, CEO Roberto Cingolani confirmed the group was exploring multiple acquisition targets—both in Italy and abroad—adding that no deal would exceed 15% of the division’s annual turnover. He also projected double-digit growth for Leonardo’s cybersecurity segment in the years ahead.

Speaking at the Paris Airshow, Pontecorvo also signaled that the evolving and increasingly complex nature of cyber threats would likely encourage more collaborations across the defense and tech sectors, as the demand for specialized cybersecurity solutions grows.

The upcoming acquisition is expected to strengthen Leonardo’s positioning within European defense networks, as the continent accelerates digital and military integration in response to rising geopolitical tensions.

WestJet Investigates Cybersecurity Breach Impacting Mobile App and Internal Systems

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WestJet Airlines of Canada is currently investigating a cybersecurity incident that has disrupted access to its mobile app and certain internal systems, the airline announced in a statement on Friday. The breach has affected an unspecified number of users.

WestJet said that specialized internal teams are working closely with law enforcement agencies and Transport Canada to contain the impact and determine the full extent of the security breach.

“We are expediting efforts to safeguard sensitive data and personal information for both our guests and employees,” the airline said, while also noting it is too soon to speculate on the cause or scope of the incident.

Despite the disruption, a company spokesperson confirmed that WestJet’s flight operations remain safe and fully unaffected.

This incident adds to a growing trend of cyber threats targeting critical infrastructure in Canada. Earlier in April, energy company Emera and its subsidiary Nova Scotia Power reported unauthorized access to their networks and business servers.