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Trump Fires Cyber Panel Members as Telecom Hacks Probe Stalls, Raising Concerns Over National Security

In a sweeping shake-up of federal advisory committees, the Trump administration has dismissed members of the Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB)—effectively shelving a high-stakes investigation into a massive digital espionage campaign allegedly orchestrated by Chinese state-sponsored hackers. The move comes as officials warn of widespread cyber vulnerabilities in America’s telecommunications infrastructure and sparks concerns that critical national security inquiries may be delayed or abandoned.


CSRB Investigation Abruptly Ends

The CSRB, established in 2022 under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), was in the early stages of its fourth major probe—this time examining a series of breaches dubbed “Salt Typhoon.” The campaign allegedly compromised at least nine U.S. telecom companies, affecting sensitive wiretapping operations and possibly exposing the phone communications of top government figures, including President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and other high-level officials.

“The most disturbing and widespread incursion into our telecommunications systems in the history of the world,” said Marco Rubio, Trump’s incoming Secretary of State.

The board, which included senior DHS officials, cybersecurity experts from private companies, and top cyber intelligence officers, had just begun its fact-finding phase when the Trump administration terminated its members. Although the administration has extended an invitation for the dismissed panelists to reapply, a person familiar with the matter told reporters that it’s unclear if the CSRB will be reconstituted at all.

A DHS spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.


Political Shake-Up or Security Setback?

According to Brian Harrell, a former assistant secretary at DHS during Trump’s first term, disbanding advisory committees between administrations is not unusual. He noted that such boards are “political in nature.” Yet for cybersecurity experts tracking these serious breaches, the timing is concerning.

“The CSRB has historically moved too slow,” Harrell said, explaining that private industry has already conducted its own investigations into Salt Typhoon.

Critics worry that an official government review is necessary to fully evaluate the damage and coordinate a national response. The alleged intrusions not only threaten the security of government officials’ communications but could also expose private citizens and ongoing law enforcement operations.


Microsoft Under Fire

Before its dissolution, the CSRB had published a scathing report criticizing Microsoft for what it called an “inadequate” security culture following a series of internal vulnerabilities. The tech giant’s CEO, Satya Nadella, has since accelerated a company-wide cybersecurity overhaul, urging employees to prioritize safeguarding customer data. With the CSRB’s investigation halted, it remains unclear how this existing critique—and Microsoft’s response—will influence broader cybersecurity reforms across the industry.


Trump Administration’s Future Cyber Strategy

The firing of the CSRB comes at a transitional moment for the administration’s cybersecurity posture. Mike Waltz, Trump’s incoming national security adviser, has signaled a more offensive approach to cyber defense:

“We need to start going on the offense after years of trying to merely boost our cyber defenses,” Waltz said, adding that the U.S. should impose “higher costs and consequences” on foreign adversaries.

Still, there are signs of continuity. While dozens of executive orders from the previous administration have been canceled in Trump’s first days back in office, a cyber executive order issued in the waning days of the Biden administrationremains intact. Observers say this suggests that at least some bipartisan efforts to strengthen America’s cybersecurity may move forward—albeit under a new strategy.


What We Learned This Week: North Korea Impersonation Scheme

In a separate development, the U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday announced an indictment against five men—including two North Koreans—accused of impersonating American IT workers to funnel money back to Pyongyang. Prosecutors allege that:

  • The suspects generated $866,255 in revenue from at least 10 U.S. companies between April 2018 and August 2024.
  • The operation allegedly involved “laptop farms” used to orchestrate remote work under assumed identities.
  • Payments were funneled through Chinese bank accounts to evade detection.

The FBI arrested one suspect in North Carolina, who investigators say helped run these laptop farms. Law enforcement agencies have long warned of North Korea’s efforts to infiltrate Western companies—particularly in the crypto sector—and route those earnings back to the sanctioned regime.


Outlook

With the CSRB effectively dissolved, critical questions remain about the Salt Typhoon espionage campaign and broader national cybersecurity readiness. Cyber experts worry that without a fully functioning federal advisory board—or at least a robust interagency effort—the government will struggle to coordinate vital security improvements. For now, much hinges on how quickly the Trump administration fills key cyber appointments and whether it can maintain the momentum of ongoing cybersecurity measures initiated by its predecessor.

“We’re seeing more sophisticated hacks every day,” one cybersecurity consultant said. “Whatever you call the next advisory board, the U.S. needs a coordinated strategy to tackle these threats and protect critical infrastructure. Waiting is not an option.”

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