A Ninth Telecom Company Compromised

The U.S. government has identified a ninth telecommunications company compromised in the extensive Chinese-linked cyberespionage campaign known as Salt Typhoon. This revelation came from Anne Neuberger, U.S. deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technology, during a press briefing.

Previously, officials had named major telecom firms such as Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen among the targets of the breach. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) had also advised senior government and political figures to adopt end-to-end encrypted apps for mobile communications to counter the threat posed by Salt Typhoon.

The campaign reportedly targeted officials linked to the campaigns of Kamala Harris, President-elect Donald Trump, and Vice President-elect JD Vance. Officials stated that "a large number of Americans' metadata was taken" as part of the cyberespionage effort.

Chinese authorities have denied the accusations, labeling them disinformation and reaffirming their opposition to cyberattacks in all their forms. Beijing has stated that it "firmly opposes and combats cyberattacks and cyber theft in all their forms."

Lawmakers have highlighted the severity of the breach. Senator Ben Ray Lujan called it "the largest telecommunications hack in our nation's history," while Senator Ted Cruz emphasized the urgency of securing communication networks.

In response to the revelations, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced that the agency is proposing new rules requiring telecom carriers to bolster network security.

Neuberger detailed the extensive access gained by the attackers, explaining that the Chinese operatives could "geolocate millions of individuals" and "record phone calls at will." She stressed that updated FCC regulations could play a critical role in mitigating the impact of such intrusions in the future.