Author: Geoffrey Mattson, CEO, Xage Security
The Salt Typhoon attack is a sophisticated cyber campaign attributed to Chinese state-sponsored actors, primarily targeting the industrial and telecom infrastructure sectors. Active since at least 2020 and gaining increased recognition in 2021, the campaign has been responsible for high-profile breaches, particularly in North America and Asia. These attacks exploit legacy systems with outdated authentication mechanisms and unpatched vulnerabilities, allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access and establish long-term persistence.
Salt Typhoon attackers leverage Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) to conduct system discovery, reconnaissance, and lateral movement across networks, enabling privilege escalation and evasion of detection. Recent U.S. government reports, publicly acknowledging the campaign in October 2024, highlighted its significant impact on critical infrastructure and national security. The campaign underscores how legacy systems in industries like telecommunications and industrial operations remain prime targets for advanced cyber threats, emphasizing the urgent need for modern security measures to defend against such persistent attacks.

Understanding the Salt Typhoon Attack: Key Vectors
The Salt Typhoon attackers exploited two primary vulnerabilities in industrial and telecom environments: outdated legacy equipment and lateral movement through Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI).
Legacy Systems: A Gateway for Attackers
Legacy telecom and industrial systems remain highly vulnerable due to outdated authentication mechanisms. Many of these systems rely on basic passwords or hardcoded credentials that cannot be changed. Without support for modern security measures like multi-factor authentication (MFA), stolen credentials can easily grant attackers access. Compounding the issue, vendor constraints and operational requirements often prevent upgrades or replacements, leaving these systems running on outdated, unpatched operating systems ripe for exploitation.
WMI Exploitation: Enabling Lateral Movement
Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) is a powerful tool for attackers, enabling system discovery, reconnaissance, and lateral movement across networks. By leveraging standard Windows protocols and administrative tools, attackers achieve privilege escalation and avoid detection. WMI’s native functionality makes monitoring or restricting its use particularly challenging, allowing attackers to operate stealthily while navigating compromised systems.
The Legacy Security Dilemma
Organizations face a difficult challenge in protecting legacy systems. Replacing critical infrastructure is costly and often leads to significant operational disruption. Upgrading native security is usually impossible due to vendor limitations, and traditional security tools lack the ability to integrate with outdated systems. At the same time, these legacy systems require ongoing access for operations and maintenance, leaving security gaps that are difficult to close without a modernized approach.
Xage’s Modern Security Strategies for Legacy Systems
Xage provides solutions that enhance security without disrupting operations or requiring costly replacements. By introducing a security layer around existing infrastructure, Xage mitigates vulnerabilities effectively with the following strategies:
- Enforce Strong Authentication with Proxies
Xage’s security proxy enforces modern authentication mechanisms, including MFA, before access to legacy systems is granted. Role-based access control (RBAC) ensures only authorized users gain entry, while audit trails log all access attempts. This solution delivers operational continuity without modifying or replacing legacy equipment. - Control Access with Secure Gateways
All authorized connections to legacy systems are routed through Xage’s secure access gateway and all unauthorized connections are blocked. This gateway consistently enforces strong authentication policies and granular access controls. Real-time monitoring, audit logging, and session recording supports compliance and enhances visibility. - Block Lateral Movement with Micro-Segmentation
Policy-based micro-segmentation prevents lateral movement by restricting access to specific systems and commands based on user identity and context. Unauthorized system discovery is blocked, and granular control of system interactions ensures attackers cannot exploit vulnerabilities or navigate freely across the network. - Monitor and Detect Threats in Real Time
Xage’s continuous activity monitoring ensures all system interactions are logged with full user attribution. Audit trails and just-in-time access support compliance while integrating with existing security tools for enhanced visibility and faster response.
By combining these capabilities, organizations can protect legacy systems with modern security measures that do not require costly replacements or operational disruption.
Looking Ahead: Building Resilience Against Modern Threats
To defend against future attacks like Salt Typhoon, organizations must prioritize securing access to vulnerable systems. Blocking direct access, enforcing strong authentication, and implementing automated micro-segmentation are critical to preventing lateral movement and unauthorized system discovery. Continuous monitoring and zero-trust principles—applied consistently, regardless of endpoint limitations—provide a robust and resilient defense.
By focusing on security at the access layer, organizations can protect their most critical assets, improve visibility, and achieve operational efficiency. With Xage’s modern security solutions, organizations can safeguard legacy infrastructure against evolving cyber threats without compromising operations or budgets.