U.S. Adds Ninth Telecom to Chinese-Linked Salt Typhoon Cyberespionage Campaign

The U.S. government has identified a ninth telecommunications company as a victim of the sweeping Chinese-backed cyberespionage operation known as Salt Typhoon, according to Anne Neuberger, Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technology. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Neuberger confirmed the addition after guidance was shared with organizations on how to detect and defend against the ongoing threat.

Previous reports have linked the Salt Typhoon campaign to breaches at major telecom companies, including Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen, among others. The cyberespionage operation has reportedly targeted U.S. government officials, political figures, and campaigns, including those of President-elect Donald Trump, Vice President-elect JD Vance, and former Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

In response, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued an advisory on December 18, urging senior government officials to transition mobile communications to end-to-end encrypted applications to mitigate the risks. Officials have revealed that “a large number of Americans’ metadata was taken” as part of the campaign.

Senator Ben Ray Luján described Salt Typhoon as the “largest telecommunications hack in our nation’s history” during a Senate hearing on December 11, while Senator Ted Cruz emphasized the urgent need to address vulnerabilities in U.S. communications networks.

Jessica Rosenworcel, Chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), announced on December 5 that the agency is proposing new regulations requiring telecom carriers to enhance network security in light of the Salt Typhoon revelations.

Neuberger detailed the extensive capabilities of the hackers, noting that they gained “broad and full access” to telecommunications networks. This access enabled them to “geolocate millions of individuals” and even “record phone calls at will.” She highlighted that updated FCC rules could help prevent similar large-scale intrusions in the future.

Chinese officials have denied the allegations, calling them disinformation and asserting that Beijing “firmly opposes and combats cyberattacks and cyber theft in all forms.”

As the investigation unfolds, cybersecurity experts and lawmakers are intensifying efforts to secure U.S. communications networks against future threats of this magnitude.