A Wall Street Journal report claims that Chinese hackers gained access to systems used for court-authorized wiretaps by breaking into the networks of major US telecommunications companies.
The breach, which targeted companies such as Verizon Communications, AT&T, and Lumen Technologies, may have allowed the attackers to go unnoticed for months while gathering critical details regarding government requests for communications data.
The hackers, who are believed to be affiliated with a state-sponsored Chinese group, were able to breach the system that telecom firms use to handle wiretaps authorised by the government.
This breach may have given the perpetrators access to sensitive US internet traffic, allowing them to monitor communications under surveillance orders.
The attack was recently identified, and it is believed that the hackers may have had long-term access to these networks, gathering intelligence.
US investigators have dubbed the group responsible for the breach "Salt Typhoon" The incident is part of a larger pattern of cyber espionage actions attributed to Chinese hackers.
Earlier this year, US law enforcement shut down another significant Chinese hacking campaign known as "Flax Typhoon," a group suspected of widespread cyber-espionage. These operations are believed to be aimed at gathering intelligence for the Chinese government.
China's denial
The Chinese foreign ministry responded to the charges by rejecting any involvement in the cyber operation. In a statement, they claimed they were unaware of the attack mentioned in the report and accused the US of fabricating a "false narrative" to blame China.
The ministry also criticised the US for impeding global cybersecurity cooperation and communication, describing the charges as a roadblock to international efforts to confront cybersecurity concerns. Beijing has always refuted all allegations of state-sponsored hacking, including those made by the US government.
In this instance, China's foreign ministry mentioned details provided by their own cybersecurity agency, claiming that "Volt Typhoon," another supposed Beijing-linked gang, was actually the work of a global ransomware organisation.