A large-scale cyber espionage campaign targeting U.S. commercial telecommunications infrastructure has been attributed to the People's Republic of China (PRC), according to a joint statement by the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
The campaign compromised networks of major providers such as Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Lumen, facilitating the theft of customer call records and potentially sensitive communications. Reports suggest that PRC-affiliated hackers targeted individuals involved in government and political activities and accessed systems used for court-approved wiretaps, raising further concerns over national security.
The attackers, allegedly link to the Salt Typhoon group, infiltrated telecom networks by exploiting vulnerabilities in network equipment. Notably, they exploited Cisco routers in September 2023, marking a sophisticated assault on critical U.S. infrastructure.
The FBI and CISA are actively assisting affected organizations by sharing intelligence and working to bolster cyber defences across the telecommunications sector.
This breach highlights the challenges of protecting vital communications systems amid rising U.S.-China tensions, as both nations compete for dominance in AI and semiconductor technologies.
Also Read: US-China Bilateral Tension Widens, Tech Businesses Urged to Negotiate
