In a significant revelation, the White House has disclosed that nine U.S. telecommunications companies have been compromised by a hacking group linked to Beijing's foreign intelligence service, known as 'Salt Typhoon.' Major players AT&T and Verizon have confirmed they have removed the hackers from their networks, with Verizon stating they contained the incident after collaborating with federal law enforcement.
Anne Neuberger, the White House deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technologies, revealed that the hackers gained access to critical telecom infrastructure, allowing them to geolocate millions and potentially record phone calls. The infiltration reportedly targeted high-profile individuals, including officials connected to the presidential campaigns of both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.
Despite their denials, Beijing is accused of orchestrating these cyberattacks, which have been ongoing for months. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the FBI are currently investigating the breaches, which have raised serious concerns about the cybersecurity practices within the telecommunications sector. Neuberger emphasized that some companies were not implementing basic security measures, making them vulnerable to such sophisticated attacks.
The implications of these breaches are profound, as they not only threaten national security but also expose critical vulnerabilities within the telecommunications infrastructure. Ongoing investigations aim to uncover the full extent of the intrusions and improve cybersecurity standards across the industry.