A Chinese hacking group known as “Salt Typhoon” has infiltrated a U.S. surveillance tool, exposing millions of Americans’ private call and text records. The breach, described as the most severe telecom hack in U.S. history, highlights vulnerabilities in systems designed to monitor criminal activity.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, stated that the breach targeted a government database containing law enforcement wiretap requests. While fewer than 150 individuals were directly affected, the stolen data could impact millions by enabling targeted surveillance.
1/ A "Salt Typhoon" hack shows why backdoors are a gift to China. It's been widely reported that the breach of US telecom systems allowed Chinese hacker group to listen in on the conversations of national security officials and political figures incl. @realDonaldTrump @JDVance. pic.twitter.com/iHpNbbr6H4
— Project for Privacy & Surveillance Accountability (@savingprivacy) November 25, 2024
Officials call China's cyberattack 'worst telecom hack' in US history | CNN#espionage #surveillance #spying #politics #China #technology #telecommunications #hacking #politicshttps://t.co/wSCXiQzfcH via @YouTube
— 0ok (@0ok) November 25, 2024
The hackers reportedly gained access to live call monitoring through telecom network connections. Companies including AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon were affected, with the breach first detected in September.
The stolen data includes unencrypted communications, though officials say encrypted platforms like Signal remain secure. Warner noted the sophistication of the attack, calling it a broader effort by China to infiltrate telecom infrastructure worldwide.
The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency are warning that unencrypted texts between Android and iPhones could pose a serious risk following the Salt Typhoon hack of several US telecommunication providers. https://t.co/XUw0HtDiwI pic.twitter.com/2dmCZenglt
— Fox News (@FoxNews) December 8, 2024
White House – The U.S. believes that an alleged sweeping Chinese cyber espionage campaign known as Salt Typhoon targeted and recorded telephone calls of "very senior" American political figures
Anne Neuberger, US deputy national security adviser👇https://t.co/dgeGMHl1KC— Lilian Armstrong (@LilianArm99) December 8, 2024
High-profile figures, including President-elect Donald Trump, Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, and members of Kamala Harris’ campaign team, were reportedly impacted. The FBI and CISA have identified the perpetrators but remain tight-lipped about specific details.
Chinese officials deny any involvement, but U.S. authorities are treating the incident as an espionage operation. The breach underscores the urgency of strengthening cybersecurity to protect sensitive systems from foreign adversaries.
