Chinese Hacking Campaign Targets Ninth U.S. Telecoms Firm, White House Says
The latest victim of a Chinese espionage campaign has been identified as a ninth U.S. telecoms firm, according to a top White House official. The hacking operation, known as Salt Typhoon, has given officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans.
Anne Neuberger, the deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technologies, revealed the new victim after the administration released guidance to companies on how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks. This development comes as part of a massive hacking operation that has raised concerns among national security officials and exposed vulnerabilities in the private sector.
The hackers targeted telecommunications companies to obtain customer call records and access the private communications of a limited number of individuals, including senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures. While the exact number of affected Americans is still unknown, a large number are believed to be in the Washington-Virginia area.
Officials suspect that the goal of the hackers was to spy on the texts and phone calls of government targets of interest. The FBI has stated that most of the individuals targeted are primarily involved in government or political activity.
Neuberger emphasized the need for mandatory cybersecurity practices in the telecommunications industry, which the Federal Communications Commission is set to address at a meeting next month. She stressed that voluntary cybersecurity measures are insufficient to protect against hacking from countries like China, Russia, and Iran.
The Chinese government has denied any involvement in the hacking campaign. This ongoing situation highlights the growing threat of cyber espionage and the importance of robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard sensitive information.
