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Dustin Volz

@dustinvolz.bsky.social

22K followers 1K following 440 posts

National security reporter for The Wall Street Journal focused on cyber conflict, digital espionage and intelligence. Based in DC, with past bylines from SF, London and Berlin. It can happen here. https://www.wsj.com/news/author/dustin-volz

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Dustin Volz @dustinvolz.bsky.social · Feb 7

Personal news:

Earlier this week, my wife did the most extraordinary thing I’ve ever seen by delivering our baby girl into this world. Both mom and baby are doing well and we are looking forward to being home soon.

I will be out on leave for a bit. Good luck out there!

Dustin Volz @dustinvolz.bsky.social · Aug 27

New: China’s historic Salt Typhoon hack targeted >80 countries, reaching across globe to a far greater extent than initially understood + let spies to surveil global movements of U.S. citizens. “It should really set off alarm bells for all Americans,” FBI cyber chief says www.wsj.com/politics/nat...

Chinese Spies Hit More Than 80 Countries in ‘Salt Typhoon’ Breach, FBI Reveals

The campaign also touched some 600 companies, and went beyond conventional espionage, an FBI official says.

Dustin Volz @dustinvolz.bsky.social · Jul 25

“They are too big to keep failing like this." Inside Microsoft's faulty patch that opened the door to another Chinese cyber espionage operation.

www.wsj.com/tech/cyberse...

A Failed Microsoft Security Patch Is the Latest Win for Chinese Hackers

The path to a worldwide hacking campaign began with a contest for cash and a free laptop.

Dustin Volz @dustinvolz.bsky.social · Jul 22

North Korean IT workers are bound by a few defining characteristics: total devotion to Dear Leader Kim Jong Un, a penchant for stealing cryptocurrency and an obsession with Minions, the cuddly yellow agents of evil from “Despicable Me.” www.wsj.com/lifestyle/no...

How to Spot North Korean Scammers in the American Workforce: Look for Minions

References to the yellow agents of evil and other ‘Despicable Me’ characters are telltale signs of swindlers infiltrating U.S. companies

Dustin Volz @dustinvolz.bsky.social · Jun 30

How a North Korean scammer stole hundreds of thousands from a crypto startup

www.wsj.com/business/he-...

He Thought an Employee Stole Crypto. The FBI Says It Was a North Korean Scammer.

An army of North Korean workers have taken tech jobs at companies around the world, gaining funds for the regime through paychecks, theft and extortion.

Dustin Volz @dustinvolz.bsky.social · Jun 17

Before launching its attack last week, Israel provided the U.S. with intel saying Iran was conducting renewed research useful for a nuclear weapon, including on an explosive triggering system.

U.S. officials weren’t convinced it pointed to a decision to build a bomb. www.wsj.com/world/middle...

Exclusive | Israel Built Its Case for War With Iran on New Intelligence. The U.S. Didn’t Buy It.

The gap between Israel’s assessment of Iran’s nuclear program and that of the U.S. helps explain why the two allies haven’t been aligned in recent days on dealing with Tehran.

Dustin Volz @dustinvolz.bsky.social · Jun 16

Some personal news:

www.linkedin.com/posts/dustin...

(I don't normally share personal updates here, and I know how treacly they can be, so pardon the intrusion.) | Dustin Volz

(I don't normally share personal updates here, and I know how treacly they can be, so pardon the intrusion.) This is my first Father's Day as a dad. I'm so grateful to be alive to celebra...

www.linkedin.com

Dustin Volz @dustinvolz.bsky.social · Jun 15

The breach is believed to be the work of a foreign government and stretches back at least a month. Some of those compromised focus their reporting at least partially on China, sources said.
www.wsj.com/tech/cyberse...

Exclusive | Cyberattack on Washington Post Compromises Email Accounts of Journalists

Reporters covering national security and economic policy were among the employees affected by the breach.

Dustin Volz @dustinvolz.bsky.social · Jun 15

News: The Washington Post has suffered a cyber intrusion that compromised the emails of at least several reporters at the paper, including those on the national security and economic policy teams, according to people familiar with the matter.

Reposted by Dustin Volz

Robert McMillan @bobmcmillan.bsky.social · May 28

I wrote a story with @dustinvolz.bsky.social about a woman in Phoenix who turned her life around by operating a North Korean laptop farm.

www.wsj.com/business/nor...

North Korea Infiltrates U.S. Remote Jobs—With the Help of Everyday Americans

A LinkedIn message drew a former waitress in Minnesota into a type of intricate scam involving illegal paychecks and stolen data. It’s a growing problem for businesses.

Dustin Volz @dustinvolz.bsky.social · Apr 16

“I was sanctioned by the Russians and I’ve been effectively sanctioned by my own government as well," Krebs said. www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

Exclusive | Former Trump Official Targeted With Government Probe Vows to Fight

Chris Krebs, the top cybersecurity official in Trump’s first term, resigned from his private-sector job

Dustin Volz @dustinvolz.bsky.social · Apr 16

News: @thekrebscycle.bsky.social, a target of Trump's wrath last week, is resigning from SentinelOne to focus fully on fighting back against against the White House's campaign to punish dissent. www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

Exclusive | Former Trump Official Targeted With Government Probe Vows to Fight

Chris Krebs, the cybersecurity official from the first Trump administration who was fired after saying the 2020 election wasn’t stolen, vowed to fight back against a White House investigation.

Dustin Volz @dustinvolz.bsky.social · Apr 15

Chinese police issued wanted notices for three people they said engaged in cyberattacks against China on behalf of the U.S. National Security Agency, a rare step by Beijing as hostilities between the superpowers escalate. www.wsj.com/world/china/...

China Accuses U.S. Spy Agency of Winter Games Cyberattacks

While the two superpowers are locked in a trade standoff, Beijing is growing increasingly aggressive in pushing back in other ways against perceived efforts to prevent China’s rise.

Reposted by Dustin Volz

Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · Apr 10

The fear among academics and lawyers now talking on the record on just about any topic that involves the federal government or the White House is really extraordinary and worrisome, and getting worse, it seems to me, every week. Dissent by an establishment figures becoming verboten in the US

Dustin Volz @dustinvolz.bsky.social · Apr 11

A closely watched survey showed consumer sentiment souring to one of the lowest levels in a decade. Respondents said they were braced for prices to surge 6.7% in the year ahead, a level of pessimism about costs last seen in the inflation-wracked early 1980s.

www.wsj.com/livecoverage...

Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Edge Lower; China Raises U.S. Tariffs to 125%

China raises tariff on U.S. goods to 125% after Trump White House says China tariffs are set at 145%. Follow along for live updates on the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq.

Dustin Volz @dustinvolz.bsky.social · Apr 11

Green, asked if Volt Typhoon has already succeeded in deterring the U.S. from defending Taiwan, says "absolutely yes" the U.S. should and could still do so.

"And would it be hard and extremely costly? Absolutely yes."

Dustin Volz @dustinvolz.bsky.social · Apr 11

Speaking this morning at Vanderbilt, Rep. Mark Green, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, compares Chinese infrastructure hacks to Russia placing a satchel charge next to a cell tower that could blow up at anytime.

Also reiterates telco hacks remain ongoing.

Dustin Volz @dustinvolz.bsky.social · Apr 11

A Wall Street Journal analysis of daily financial statements issued by the Treasury Department found government spending since the inauguration is $154 billion more than in the same period in 2024 during the administration of former President Joe Biden.

www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

See How Government Spending Is Up Even as Musk Touts Savings

The Musk team’s estimated $150 billion in savings barely makes a dent in $6.8 trillion of expenditures largely on autopilot, a WSJ analysis finds.

Reposted by Dustin Volz

hakan @hatr.bsky.social · Apr 10

This is an extraordinary story/admission

„The Chinese delegation linked years of intrusions into computer networks at U.S. ports, water utilities, airports and other targets, to increasing U.S. policy support for Taiwan“

www.wsj.com/politics/nat...

Exclusive | In Secret Meeting, China Acknowledged Role in U.S. Infrastructure Hacks

A senior Chinese official linked intrusions to escalating U.S. support for Taiwan.

Reposted by Dustin Volz

Eric Geller @ericjgeller.com · Apr 10

👀 China reportedly acknowledged to outgoing Biden officials in December that it was responsible for the Volt Typhoon critical infrastructure intrusions, linking them to "increasing U.S. policy support for Taiwan." www.wsj.com/politics/nat...

Reposted by Dustin Volz

John Scott-Railton @jsrailton.bsky.social · Apr 10

NEW: China privately gave tacit acknowledgement of big hacks of US infrastructure.

People present at meeting interpreted #China as linking the hacking to US backing of Taiwan.

Interesting signaling going on.

Story by @dustinvolz.bsky.social
www.wsj.com/politics/nat...

Reposted by Dustin Volz

Techmeme @techmeme.com · Apr 10

Sources: Chinese officials acknowledged in a secret December meeting that China was behind Volt Typhoon hacks, linking them to escalating US support for Taiwan (Dustin Volz/Wall Street Journal)

Main Link | Techmeme Permalink

Reposted by Dustin Volz

Dmitri Alperovitch @dmitri.silverado.org · Apr 10

Chinese officials acknowledged in a December meeting with Biden officials in Geneva that Beijing was behind the Volt Typhoon intrusions into U.S. critical infrastructure citing increasing U.S. policy support for Taiwan as an excuse www.wsj.com/politics/nat...

Exclusive | In Secret Meeting, China Acknowledged Role in U.S. Infrastructure Hacks

A senior Chinese official linked intrusions to escalating U.S. support for Taiwan.

Reposted by Dustin Volz

Drew FitzGerald @drewfitzgerald.bsky.social · Apr 10

“Wang’s comments came after the U.S. stressed that China didn’t appear to understand how dangerous prepositioning in civilian critical infrastructure was, and how much the U.S. would view it as an act of war, the former U.S. official said.”

Dustin Volz @dustinvolz.bsky.social · Apr 10

Scoop: In a secret summit in Geneva last December, Chinese officials tacitly acknowledged being responsible for the Volt Typhoon intrusions on U.S. critical infrastructure systems and linked the attacks to U.S. support for Taiwan.

www.wsj.com/politics/nat...

Exclusive | In Secret Meeting, China Acknowledged Role in U.S. Infrastructure Hacks

A senior Chinese official linked intrusions to escalating U.S. support for Taiwan.

Dustin Volz @dustinvolz.bsky.social · Apr 10

Scoop: In a secret summit in Geneva last December, Chinese officials tacitly acknowledged being responsible for the Volt Typhoon intrusions on U.S. critical infrastructure systems and linked the attacks to U.S. support for Taiwan.

www.wsj.com/politics/nat...

Exclusive | In Secret Meeting, China Acknowledged Role in U.S. Infrastructure Hacks

A senior Chinese official linked intrusions to escalating U.S. support for Taiwan.

Reposted by Dustin Volz

David DiMolfetta @ddimolfetta.bsky.social · Apr 9

Sen. Wyden puts hold on Sean Plankey to lead CISA, citing “cover up” over unreleased agency report on telecom sector vulnerabilities:
www.nextgov.com/cybersecurit...

Senator puts hold on Trump cyber nominee, citing ‘cover up’ of telecom security report

An unreleased 2022 report is said to contain vital information about the security posture of the U.S. telecommunications sector, according to Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who is blocking Sean Plankey’s nom...

www.nextgov.com