Ninth U.S. Telecom Company Hacked in Salt Typhoon Espionage, Accessing Private Texts and Calls

Dec 28, 2024, 08:00 AM

The White House has confirmed that a ninth U.S. telecommunications company has been compromised in a widespread Chinese espionage campaign known as Salt Typhoon. This operation has allowed Chinese officials access to private texts and phone calls of an unknown number of Americans. The Biden administration previously reported that at least eight telecom companies and numerous countries were affected by this hacking effort. Deputy National Security Adviser Anne Neuberger disclosed that the ninth victim was identified following the release of guidance to companies on how to detect Chinese hackers within their networks. The hackers targeted the networks to obtain customer call records and access private communications of a limited number of individuals, primarily those involved in government or political activities. The FBI has not publicly named the victims, but it is believed that senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures are among those affected. The White House has emphasized the need for mandatory cybersecurity practices in the telecom industry, with the Federal Communications Commission set to address this issue in an upcoming meeting. Further actions are planned by the government in response to the hacking campaign, though specifics have not been disclosed.