Chinese hackers' massive telecom breach sparks security alarm
Chinese hackers from a group known as Salt Typhoon have stolen metadata from numerous customers of major telecommunications companies, according to representatives of the U.S. administration. This breach is considered the largest attack on telecommunications companies in U.S. history and may still be ongoing.
Chinese hackers extracted metadata concerning a "large number" of individuals, a high-ranking U.S. official noted during a press teleconference.
"We do not believe it's every cell phone in the country, but we believe it's potentially a large number of individuals that the Chinese government was focused on," he mentioned, as cited by Reuters.
He further explained that hackers from Salt Typhoon, affiliated with Chinese services, gained access to the systems of at least eight companies in the industry, including major mobile network operators.
Valuable material for cyber espionage operations
While metadata does not include the content of conversations, it encompasses information such as the duration of calls, data about the interlocutors, and their location, making it highly valuable for cyber espionage operations.
On Wednesday, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, along with agency and White House representatives, attended a closed briefing for all senators in Congress.
The Wall Street Journal reported on the Salt Typhoon breach in September. According to American officials, the hackers may still be active and retain access to systems. Just last week, Democratic Congressman Jake Auchincloss stated that this is the largest cyberattack on American telecommunications companies.
