New reports reveal that hackers, allegedly linked to China, had extensive access to U.S. telecom networks, potentially impacting thousands of Americans.
Recent developments shed more light on the ongoing hacking campaign by the China-linked group known as “Salt Typhoon,” which targeted U.S. telecom companies and officials. According to The Wall Street Journal, the hackers’ reach was far greater than previously understood, with communications from “potentially thousands of Americans” now believed to be compromised.
Earlier reports by The New York Times revealed that FBI investigators suspected that the hacking group had accessed call logs and SMS messages, primarily focusing on U.S. diplomats, government officials, and staffers from both major presidential campaigns. However, the new Wall Street Journal report suggests the hackers, likely working for a Chinese intelligence agency, spent over eight months infiltrating U.S. telecom infrastructure.
While the group’s main targets included a select few political and national security figures, the hackers reportedly exploited vulnerabilities in routers used by telecom companies, giving them the ability to access the data of virtually any American using a compromised carrier, such as AT&T and Verizon. Both companies declined to comment on the findings.
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