FBI and CISA say Chinese hackers may still have access to US telecom systems
During a press briefing, senior officials from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the FBI revealed that they have been investigating a significant cyber incident since late spring. The investigation uncovered a widespread campaign, described by some lawmakers as the most severe telecom hack in U.S. history.
The responsible group, known as Salt Typhoon, infiltrated multiple telecommunications companies, gaining deep access and stealing extensive data, including details about the locations, timing, and participants of individuals’ communications.
In certain instances, the hackers managed to intercept audio and text communications. Their targets included officials from both presidential campaigns, notably President-elect Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance.
However, officials acknowledged that numerous questions remain unanswered, particularly regarding the full extent of the breach.
“We cannot say with certainty that the adversary has been evicted, as we are still assessing the scope,” a senior official stated, emphasizing that it is impossible to predict when the hackers will be completely eliminated from the affected systems.
Officials stated that they believe a vast amount of metadata from phone calls and text messages was “essentially swept up by the adversary.” Additionally, the hackers accessed the content of calls and texts from a select group of individuals, primarily those connected to the U.S. government.
They did not provide answers regarding the number of Americans affected or the broader reforms needed to strengthen the security of U.S. telecom infrastructure.
“We need to engage in serious, long-term discussions about what this means and how we’re going to secure our networks,” one official remarked.
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