PDB Afternoon Bulletin | December 4th, 2024: China's Deep Cyber Infiltration Of US Networks & Cuba In Disarray

Summary

Episode Summary: PDB Afternoon Bulletin | December 4th, 2024: China's Deep Cyber Infiltration Of US Networks & Cuba In Disarray

Hosted by Mike Baker, The First TV

---

Introduction

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief, host Mike Baker delves into two pressing issues affecting national security and international stability: a significant cyber infiltration of U.S. telecommunications networks by Chinese operatives and the escalating energy crisis in Cuba. Released on December 5, 2024, this bulletin provides an in-depth analysis of these critical events, offering insights into their implications for the United States and the broader global landscape.

---

1. China's Deep Cyber Infiltration of U.S. Networks

Timestamp: [00:30] – [07:39]

Mike Baker begins by addressing a severe cyberattack orchestrated by a Chinese hacking group known as Salt Typhoon. This sophisticated breach has targeted major U.S. telecommunications giants—Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen—marking it as one of the most damaging cyber intrusions in American history.

A. Overview of the Breach

The infiltration, uncovered in October 2024, involved the creation of backdoors within the telecom companies' systems. This breach exposed the data of millions, enabling Chinese operatives to access sensitive information. The hackers didn't just siphon metadata related to call records; they also intercepted live phone calls involving high-profile American political figures.

B. Impact on U.S. Telecommunications

During a briefing with reporters, senior officials from the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) emphasized the gravity of the situation:

“Encryption is your friend, whether it's on text messaging or if you have the capacity to use encrypted voice communication. Even if the adversary is able to intercept the data, if it's encrypted, well, it will make it impossible.”
— Unnamed FBI/CISA Official [02:45]

Despite initial detection efforts, the breach remains only partially remediated. Officials have expressed uncertainty regarding when U.S. telecommunications systems will be fully secured against this threat.

C. Government and Legislative Response

The U.S. government has taken the threat seriously, initiating several measures to counteract the cyber infiltration:

• Classified Briefing for Senators: Senior members of the U.S. Intelligence Community and leaders at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are set to hold a classified briefing for all senators on Wednesday concerning the Salt Typhoon breach.

• Senate Commerce Subcommittee Hearing: A hearing is scheduled for December 11th by the Senate Commerce Subcommittee to discuss and address the ongoing cyber threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Brandon Carr, appointed by President Trump to lead the FCC starting January, addressed the issue:

“The Salt Typhoon intrusion is a serious and unacceptable risk to our national security. We will work with national security agencies through the transition and next year in an effort to root out the threat and secure our networks.”
— Brandon Carr, FCC Leader [06:30]

Lawmakers from both political parties are advocating for a robust response to mitigate the risks associated with CCP-backed cyber activities. There is a growing consensus on the need to enhance telecommunications security and hold U.S. corporations accountable for existing vulnerabilities.

D. Broader Implications

This cyberattack is perceived not merely as an isolated incident but part of a larger espionage campaign by the Chinese regime aimed at extracting intelligence related to American politics. Despite denials from Chinese officials, U.S. intelligence remains steadfast in attributing the breach to the CCP, highlighting the ongoing tensions in U.S.-China relations.

---

2. Cuba in Disarray: National Power Grid Collapse

Timestamp: [08:11] – [End]

Shifting focus to the Caribbean, Mike Baker reports on a crippling blackout in Cuba, underscoring the island nation’s persistent energy and economic woes.

A. Details of the Blackout

The blackout resulted from a failure at Cuba's largest power plant, leading to a nationwide collapse of the electrical grid. The outage plunged millions into darkness, with the capital city, Havana, experiencing near-total blackout conditions. Reports from Reuters indicate that only a handful of large hotels and government buildings retained power during the early morning hours.

B. Historical Context and Ongoing Energy Crisis

This latest blackout is the latest in a series of energy crises Cuba has faced:

• October 2024: The same power plant failed amid dwindling fuel supplies and the impact of Hurricane Oscar, causing days-long outages.

• Recent Hurricane Impact: Another hurricane inflicted similar damage, highlighting the fragility of Cuba's energy infrastructure.

Cuba's energy woes are exacerbated by its reliance on outdated, oil-fired power plants that struggle to meet the nation’s growing energy demands. The situation is further strained by a significant reduction in oil imports from traditional allies like Venezuela, Russia, and Mexico, limiting the country’s ability to fuel its power plants effectively.

C. Economic Downturn and Population Movement

The power grid collapse is symptomatic of a deeper economic crisis that Cuba has been grappling with since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The current economic downturn represents the worst the island has faced in decades, leading to severe fuel shortages and widespread hardship.

As a consequence of the economic and political instability, an estimated 10% of Cuba’s population has fled the island since 2020, seeking refuge from the deteriorating living conditions and oppressive governance.

D. Government Response and Future Outlook

Cuba's Energy and Mines Ministry is actively working to restore power, but the recurring nature of these outages signals systemic instability within the country’s infrastructure. The repeated failures not only highlight the inefficiency of Cuba's energy systems but also reflect the broader challenges the communist regime faces in maintaining control and ensuring basic services for its populace.

Mike Baker summarizes the situation:

“These repeated blackouts aren't the only issue that Cuba is facing right now. The communist-run government is also experiencing its worst economic downturn since the Soviet Union's collapse... These recurring failures highlight the deeper instability that's plaguing Cuba.”
— Mike Baker [09:15]

With no immediate solutions on the horizon, Cuba continues to battle internal turmoil and a growing disillusioned population, raising concerns about the nation’s future stability.

---

Conclusion

Mike Baker concludes the afternoon bulletin by urging listeners to stay informed and vigilant regarding these significant developments. The cyber infiltration by Chinese operatives poses a direct threat to national security, while the crisis in Cuba underscores the fragility of international alliances and the profound impact of economic instability on governance and population welfare.

For further inquiries or to access an ad-free experience, listeners are encouraged to reach out via email or become premium members at pdbpremium.com.

---

Stay informed, stay safe, and stay connected with The President's Daily Brief for the latest updates on the issues that matter most.

Transcript

[Mike Baker]

Welcome to Nada Yada Island.

[Benny]

We're back on the Narayatta Island Confessions Show. Benny is about to tell us how he found two loves. Go ahead.

[Mike Baker]

Yeah. Thanks to Metro, I found iPhone 12 and Apple Watch SE at Metro.

[Benny]

Get the perfect match of both iPhone 12 with 5G and Apple Watch SE for only 99.99. You heard that right. Both for just 99.99 holidays with nada Yada yada. Only at Metro by T Mobile.

[Narrator]

Bring your number and id. Sign up for Metro Flex plus and add a watch line. Not available if you're with T Mobile or ban with Metro in the past 180 days. Limit two per account.

[Mike Baker]

This episode is brought to you by Patriot Gold Group. Protect your retirement assets and safeguard your future. Speak to the experts over at Patriot Gold today. Now, they've been the top rated gold IRA dealer for seven years in a row and if you weren't aware of that, well, now you know. Go to patriotgoldgroup.com or call 1-888-621-3856 for a free investor. It's Wednesday for December. Welcome to the PDB Late afternoon or early evening bulletin? Whichever. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. Let's get briefed. First, U.S. intelligence officials are urging Americans to protect their private communications behind encrypted apps as they continue to grapple with the fallout from an unprecedented cyber attack by Chinese operatives. Then we'll turn to Cuba, where the country's national power grid has once again collapsed after their largest power plant failed, leaving millions in the dark. It comes as the country faces fuel shortages and an ongoing economic crisis. But first, our afternoon spotlight. We'll begin with an update on a major breach of US Telecommunications companies by Chinese operatives that officials have described as one of their worst hacks in American history. During a briefing with reporters on Tuesday, senior officials with the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency urged Americans to start using encrypted messaging apps for their private communications to stay hidden from the Chinese Communist Party's backed hackers. They warned that the breach, which was first discovered in October of this year, has not been fully remediated and that they are unsure when America's telecommunications systems will be clear of the threat. And that's according to an exclusive report from NBC News. As a reminder, the warning is tied to the hacking group known as Salt Typhoon. I don't know who comes up with these names. Which launched a sophisticated campaign targeting US telecom giants Verizon, AT&T and Lumen earlier this year, intelligence officials discovered that the hackers had created backdoors into the company's systems, exposing the data of millions to agents of the ccp, the Chinese Communist Party. The hackers cast a sweeping net, collecting not only metadata related to call records, but also live phone calls related to specific targets, such as high profile American political leaders. During Tuesday's briefing, one official said, quote, what we have told folks internally is not new here. Encryption is your friend, whether it's on text messaging or if you have the capacity to use encrypted voice communication. Even if the adversary is able to intercept the data, if it's encrypted, well, it will make it impossible. They added that Salt Typhoon hackers are still active inside US Telecommunications systems and the compromise is so large in scale that it's, quote, impossible to predict a timeframe on when we'll have full eviction, end quote. The significance of the threat is, well, frankly, hard to overstate. As you may recall, in October, the hackers are believed to have breached the personal cell phones of Donald Trump and J.D. vance and successfully intercepted the audio of a conversation involving an unnamed advisor to Trump's campaign. While the infiltration was first disclosed in the run up to the presidential election, officials said Tuesday they don't believe it was intended to sway the results. Rather, they see it as part of a larger espionage operation by the Chinese regime to glean intelligence on American politics. And senior government officials, well, they wouldn't be wrong there. No surprises here, but Chinese officials have previously denied any involvement. We have no idea they've previously denied any involvement in the campaign, calling it, oh, Western disinformation. Well, if anybody knows disinformation, I suppose it would be the Chinese regime. Officials from the US Intelligence community alongside leaders at the Federal Communications Commission, the fcc, they're holding a classified briefing for all senators on Wednesday regarding Salt typhoon, and a U.S. senate Commerce subcommittee is planning a hearing on the outgoing threat on December 11th. Now, many lawmakers across both parties have demanded a proportionate response against the CCP and for measures to be taken to bolster telecommunications security and hold US Corporations accountable for these cyber intrusions. Brandon Carr, who's been tapped by Trump to lead the FCC come January, said Wednesday the Salt Typhoon intrusion is a serious and unacceptable risk to our national security. We will work with national security agencies through the transition and next year in an effort to root out the threat and secure our networks, end quote. Coming up, we'll turn to Cuba, where the country's national power grid has once again collapsed as the country grapples with fuel shortages and an ongoing economic crisis. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now, if you've ever worried about the safety and security of your home and family, well, frankly, there's no better time to act than now. Because right now Simplisafe is extending its massive Black Friday deal for my listeners. That's right, get 50% off a new SimpliSafe security system. Correct. I said 50% off. Look, SimpliSafe is the home security that I trust. It brings priceless peace of mind knowing that my home is protected 24. 7. So get 50% off today just by visiting simplisafe.com baker this is your last chance to protect your home at Simplisafe's lowest prices of the year. Now, Simplisafe is a new way to protect your home that stops intruders before they break into your home. The truth is, look, old school systems only take action once someone is already inside your place. And that's. Well, that's too late. Simplisafe's Active Guard Outdoor protection changes the game by preventing crime before it even happens. If someone's lurking around or acting suspiciously, the Simplisafe agents see them in real time. They talk to them directly, set off your spotlights and even call the police. All before they've had a chance to break in. Plus, there are no long term contracts, no cancellation fees and it's around $1 a day for all this protection and peace of mind. And I love the simplicity and the ease of installation and use. Simplisafe is extending its massive Black Friday deal. For my listeners of the PDB, this week only you can get 50% off. Think about that. 50% off any new system with a select professional monitoring plan. This is your last chance to claim their best offer of the year. So head to simplisafe.com baker that's B A K E R. That's simplisafe.com baker there's no safe like SimpliSafe.

[Narrator]

Shop blinds.com cyber Monday sales event. Now for some of the best deals of the season, a Blinds.com design expert can help you make the perfect selection on your schedule. We can handle everything from measure to your whole home installed for one low cost. With over 25 million windows covered, Blinds.com is the number one online retailer of custom window coverings. Save up to 50% site wide plus doorbusters and a free professional measure. Right now at Blinds.com rules and restrictions may apply.

[Mike Baker]

Welcome back to the afternoon bulletin. Shifting our focus to the Caribbean, where Cuba is facing yet another crippling blackout. A failure at the island's largest power plant caused the national electrical grid to collapse, leaving millions without power. Now, the early morning blackout is the latest chapter in an ongoing energy crisis gripping the communist island, which is already struggling with fuel shortages and deepening political instability. Of course, just 90 miles off the US coast, the power plant located in western Cuba has become a stark symbol of the country's deteriorating infrastructure. This is the same facility that failed back in October, as we reported previously on the pdb, when dwindling fuel supplies and Hurricane Oscar caused days long outages. Just weeks later, another hurricane dealt similar damage, underscoring the fragile state of Cuba's energy grid. The latest outage left the capital city Havana cloaked in near total blackout. According to Reuters, a witness noted that before dawn, only a few large hotels and government buildings dotted the skyline with lights. Social media reports suggest that the blackout may have affected the entire island of some 10 million people, though Cuban officials have yet to confirm the full scale of the outage. Which I guess isn't exactly surprising for a regime that isn't known for transparency. For context. Cuba's aging oil fired plants have struggled for years to meet growing energy demands, plagued by outdated infrastructure and frequent mechanical failures. Compounding the crisis, oil imports from key allies like Venezuela, Russia and Mexico have sharply declined, leaving the island increasingly unable to fuel its power plants. Now, much like all those classic cars cruising through Havana streets, these power plants are relics of a bygone era, only, I guess, with less charm and reliability. These repeated blackouts aren't the only issue that Cuba is facing right now. The communist run government is also experiencing its worst economic downturn since the Soviet union's collapse. Since 2020, 10% of Cuba's population has fled the island, 10% seeking refuge from economic and political despair. The Energy and Mines Ministry is scrambling to restore power. But these recurring failures highlight the deeper instability that's plaguing Cuba. With no quick fixes in sight, the communist regime faces growing turmoil and an increasingly disillusioned population. And that, my friends, is the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. Or as we previously called it, the early evening Bulletin for Wednesday for December. If you have any questions, please reach out to [e-mail] and as you may have heard by now, to listen to the show Ad Free. Should you be hankering for an Ad Free experience? Well, it's simple. Become a premium member of the President's Daily brief by visiting pdbpremium.com I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back tomorrow. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay co.