The cybersecurity world faces an ironic threat as two Chinese hackers who once excelled in Cisco’s training program are now leading sophisticated attacks against the company’s devices.
Yuyang and Qiu Daibing were identified as key operators behind the notorious Salt Typhoon campaign.
Have leveraged their Cisco Network Academy education to orchestrate one of the most expansive intelligence operations in recent history.
In 2012, both Yuyang and Qiu Daibing participated in the Cisco Network Academy Cup while studying at Southwest Petroleum University in China.
Despite attending a poorly regarded cybersecurity education institution, they excelled in the competition.
With Qiu’s team winning third place nationally and Yu’s team securing second place in Sichuan province.
Their education through Cisco’s program covered many of the products they would later exploit, including Cisco IOS and ASA Firewalls.
The Cisco Network Academy, which entered China in 1998, has trained over 200,000 students in the country.
Campaign Compromises Global Telecommunications
In 2024, Yuyang and Qiu Daibing emerged as co-owners of companies named in a Joint Cybersecurity Advisory published by the United States and more than 30 allied nations.
According to SentinelOne Labs, its Salt Typhoon operation compromised more than 80 telecommunications companies worldwide.
Intercepting unencrypted calls and texts between US presidential candidates, key staffers, and China policy experts.
The hackers also breached CALEA systems, which telecommunications companies use for lawful intercept of criminal communications.
The campaign, first reported in September 2024, represents one of the most significant intelligence collection efforts of the last decade.
This case highlights several critical security concerns. First, it demonstrates that offensive capabilities against foreign IT products likely emerged when companies began providing local training programs.
Second, it raises questions about the unintended consequences of corporate education initiatives in markets marked by geopolitical tensions.
China pursues its “Delete America” strategy to remove Western technology from its infrastructure. Security experts warn that such training programs may present more risk than reward, potentially creating tomorrow’s adversaries from today’s students.
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