Chinese Hackers in 'Salt Typhoon' Compromise U.S. Officials' Cellphone Lines via Major Carriers

Nov 5, 2024, 10:07 PM

Hackers linked to Chinese intelligence, in an operation known as Salt Typhoon, have compromised cellphone lines used by senior national security and policy officials across the U.S. government, as well as politicians. The breach, which involved precision strikes, enabled the hackers to access call logs, texts, and some audio of these officials, affecting potentially thousands of contacts. The hackers targeted the private wiretapping and surveillance systems built by American telecom companies for U.S. federal law enforcement agencies, including networks of at least three major U.S. carriers. This breach has prompted a scramble within the U.S. government to respond to the ongoing surveillance threat.