Official announcements from U.S. government agencies

China-Linked Hack Breaches AT&T, Verizon Wiretap Systems, Compromising Data for Months

Oct 5, 2024, 02:03 PM

A cyberattack linked to the Chinese government has breached the networks of major U.S. broadband providers, including AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen Technologies, potentially compromising federal wiretap requests for months. The breach, dubbed 'Salt Typhoon,' accessed information from systems the federal government uses for court-authorized network wiretapping requests, posing a significant national security risk. The Wall Street Journal first reported the attack, which highlights vulnerabilities in the systems mandated under U.S. law for lawful network interception. The Chinese government has denied any involvement in the cyberattack.