Meet Liminal Panda, which prowls telecom networks in South Asia and Africa

A senior US senator has warned that American tech companies’ activities in China represent a national security risk, in a hearing that saw infosec biz CrowdStrike testify it has identified another cyber-espionage crew it believes is backed by Beijing.

The warning came from Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), who chairs the Senate Committee on the Judiciary’s subcommittee on Privacy, Technology. At a Tuesday hearing titled, “Big Hacks & Big Tech: China’s Cybersecurity Threat”, the senator used his opening remarks to state “extensive economic ties and China's willingness to exploit them are a dangerous combination, a real risk to this country.”

Blumenthal focused on Elon Musk and the Pentagon's increasing reliance on the super-tycoon's SpaceX services.

"Tesla makes half of its cars and as much as a third of its sales in China," the senator added. "Elon Musk is so concerned about protecting Tesla's market access ...