Chinese hackers have stolen metadata from numerous Americans in a large-scale cyber-espionage campaign that has impacted at least eight U.S. telecom companies and dozens of other nations, U.S. officials revealed Wednesday.
Deputy National Security Adviser Anne Neuberger confirmed that the hacking group, known as Salt Typhoon, gained access to communications involving senior U.S. government officials and political figures. However, she reassured that no “classified communications” were compromised.
During a closed-door briefing with U.S. senators, a senior official disclosed that the Chinese government was behind the cyberattacks, which targeted telecommunications companies and infrastructure providers across the globe. Eight U.S. telecom firms were among those affected.
“This campaign is part of a focused effort to monitor a large number of individuals,” the official stated, describing the scope of the operation as extensive and ongoing.
This attack is the latest in a series of alleged Chinese cyber intrusions. In October, U.S. federal authorities confirmed that hackers linked to China had targeted then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, his running mate JD Vance, and individuals close to Vice President Kamala Harris.
Chinese cyber operatives have also been accused of breaching major U.S. telecom providers, including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Lumen. While T-Mobile claimed no customer data was accessed, Lumen stated there was no evidence of an intrusion into its network.
The Chinese embassy in Washington denied involvement in the attack. In response to new U.S. guidance for telecom companies on encryption and monitoring, embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu accused the U.S. of engaging in its own cyber operations.
“The U.S. needs to stop its own cyberattacks against other countries and refrain from using cybersecurity to smear and slander China,” Liu said.
This latest incident underscores the growing cybersecurity tensions between the U.S. and China. American officials are urging telecom companies to bolster their defenses against future breaches, emphasizing the importance of encryption and network monitoring.
The attacks highlight the increasing sophistication of Chinese cyber-espionage campaigns and the vulnerability of critical infrastructure in the face of global cyber threats.
