Chinese hackers crack major US security systems
Washington, DC - Chinese hackers have managed to access US broadband networks to gather important security information from systems used by the federal government for wiretapping.
An investigation from the Wall Street Journal has revealed that Verizon Communications, AT&T and Lumen Technologies were breached by Chinese hackers in a recent intrusion into critical infrastructure.
Over a period of several months, hackers thought linked to the Chinese government in Beijing held access to network infrastructure used by US security agencies to conduct court-authorized wiretapping.
In addition to having access to information critical to US national security, the hackers reportedly gathered a range of general internet traffic information as well.
The hack is linked to a campaign, dubbed "Salt Typhoon" by investigators, which has sent service providers and IT companies into a scramble to find out what sensitive information has been accessed.
Surveillance systems thought to be caught up in the breach are those used to help communications companies comply with requests for personal information and wiretaps ordered by US courts under federal law.
In the US, telecoms are obliged to allow authorities to intercept calls and information so long as a government security agency has a court order to do so.
It is believed that much of this data has been collected by the hackers, including the personal information of many individuals and businesses across the US. The exact nature of this data collection is currently under investigation.Beijing has previously denied accusations of hacking
Beijing has repeatedly denied accusations of hacking and cyber-warfare. In March, China's foreign ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian, said that China "firmly opposes" such accusations and, in turn, accused Washington of doing much the same thing.
"It will take time to unravel how bad this is," former executive director at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Brandon Wales told the Wall Street Journal.
"But in the meantime, it's the most significant in a long string of wake-up calls that show how the PRC has stepped up their cyber game," Wales said of the latest cyberattack.
"If companies and governments weren’t taking this seriously before, they absolutely need to now."
Cover photo: imago/Panthermedia