A sophisticated Chinese hacking operation has exposed vulnerabilities in America's telecommunications infrastructure, targeting high-profile political figures, including President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance.
According to the New York Post, the China-linked hacking group known as Salt Typhoon infiltrated major telecommunications networks, including Verizon and AT&T, accessing sensitive data on over one million people during an 18-month breach that began in mid-2023.
The hackers gained access to court-backed surveillance systems and specifically targeted communications from Washington, DC. Their operation compromised calls and phone lines connected to several prominent political figures, including Vice President Kamala Harris and individuals within their circles.
The cybercriminals demonstrated advanced capabilities by mimicking systems engineers and concealing their activities within the compromised networks. They maintained their presence in some wiretap systems as recently as October 2024, even after the breach became public knowledge. Security experts tracked the stolen data as it moved through various global channels before ultimately reaching China.
One unnamed senator expressed grave concerns about the incident, describing it as the worst telecommunications hack in U.S. history. The breach's sophistication has led some national security experts to question whether the hackers can ever be completely removed from the affected systems.
The intrusion prompted key U.S. officials to abandon traditional communication methods in favor of encrypted platforms like Signal to protect sensitive conversations. The hackers exploited aging telecommunications equipment to bypass cyber defenses.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has initiated meetings with key executives to address the breach. The response comes as both major telecommunications companies affected by the attack maintain different stances on the incident's impact.
Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, denied China's involvement in the cyberattack. He stated:
Some in the US seem to be enthusiastic about creating various types of 'typhoons.' The US needs to stop its own cyberattacks against other countries and refrain from using cybersecurity to smear and slander China.
Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) expressed his alarm during a Senate hearing last month, saying:
It's shocking how exposed we are, and still are.
The telecommunications breach represents a significant shift in Chinese cyber operations, moving beyond traditional economic espionage to target geopolitical advantages. This development follows other recent Chinese-backed attacks on U.S. infrastructure, including attempts to compromise power grids and port operations in late 2023.
The Treasury Department recently disclosed a separate breach by Chinese state actors who accessed unclassified documents. These incidents highlight China's expanding cyber capabilities and their potential impact on national security.
Government officials have managed to identify some compromised systems and neutralize malicious software, but the full extent of the damage remains unknown.
The Salt Typhoon operation represents a calculated effort by Chinese-linked hackers to penetrate America's telecommunications infrastructure, compromising sensitive data and communications of high-ranking officials. The 18-month breach exposed vulnerabilities in major telecom networks, affecting over one million people and targeting prominent political figures.
