Hackers reportedly exploited US government-installed systems used for domestic surveillance.
Top officials from the outgoing Biden administration recently met with major telecommunications CEOs to address a massive data breach, described as the worst in US history.
US authorities earlier this month accused the alleged Chinese hacking group, ‘Salt Typhoon,’ of stealing surveillance data held by telecoms for law enforcement. The hackers reportedly intercepted text messages and call audio over many months.
Senator Mark Warner, head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, called this the worst telecom hack in US history, stating that security vulnerabilities remain.
National security advisor Jake Sullivan and deputy Anne Neuberger convened a White House meeting with telecom executives, though attendees remain undisclosed.
“The meeting aimed to explore collaboration between the US government and the private sector to enhance defenses against sophisticated state-sponsored attacks,” the White House stated.
A joint FBI and CISA statement on November 13th blamed China, explaining the stolen data was legally obtained as part of surveillance on American suspects.
“Specifically, we’ve found that PRC-affiliated actors compromised multiple telecom networks, stealing customer call records, private communications (mostly of individuals involved in government or politics), and information subject to US law enforcement requests under court orders,” the statement read.
The breach’s full extent is still under investigation. The FBI has reportedly notified fewer than 150 victims, mainly in Washington, D.C. However, the actual number of accessed records could be much higher due to the potential reach of these victims’ communications.
A report by the Washington Post last month indicated that an unnamed advisor to President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign was also among those whose conversations were intercepted. Whether this advisor’s information was subject to US law enforcement requests remains unclear. In 2016, the FBI used the Steele Dossier to obtain warrants to surveil Trump’s campaign.
Beijing has consistently denied hacking accusations and claims of US election interference. The Chinese Embassy in Washington stated it was unaware of ‘Salt Typhoon’s activities and accused the US of fabricating evidence to smear China.