White House Reports Nine Telecom Victims in Salt Typhoon Attack, Chinese Hackers Geolocated Millions and Recorded Phone Calls

Dec 28, 2024, 11:19 PM

The White House has reported that the Salt Typhoon cyberespionage operation, attributed to Chinese hackers, has targeted U.S. telecommunications companies, leading to the geolocation of millions of Americans and the recording of phone calls. Initially, eight companies were identified as victims; however, the list has now expanded to nine. The White House has issued a guide to assist telecom companies in mitigating threats and enhancing cybersecurity measures, citing a failure to implement basic protections as a contributing factor to the attack. AT&T and Verizon have confirmed that their networks are now secure following the intrusion, although AT&T acknowledged that some individuals of foreign intelligence interest were specifically targeted. The attack has raised concerns about the vulnerability of U.S. telecom infrastructures and the potential for foreign access to sensitive data.