A sophisticated cyberattack attributed to a Chinese hacking group known as “Salt Typhoon” has compromised private call and text data of millions of Americans. The breach targeted a U.S. government surveillance system, sparking concerns about national security and data privacy.

Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has called the hack the “worst telecom breach” in U.S. history. Salt Typhoon reportedly accessed cables that enable live monitoring of calls through telecom “trust” connections, exposing sensitive data.

1/ A "Salt Typhoon" hack shows why backdoors are a gift to China. It's been widely reported that the breach of US telecom systems allowed Chinese hacker group to listen in on the conversations of national security officials and political figures incl. @realDonaldTrump @JDVance. pic.twitter.com/iHpNbbr6H4

— Project for Privacy & Surveillance Accountability (@savingprivacy) November 25, 2024

Telecom companies such as AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon were impacted, with the breach reportedly affecting fewer than 150 individuals directly. However, millions of call and text records are believed to have been stolen, potentially allowing the group to surveil Americans.

The database compromised is used by law enforcement to archive wiretap requests, but the wiretapping system itself remains secure. Despite this, the breach included unencrypted communications, raising concerns about further misuse of the data.

Officials call China's cyberattack 'worst telecom hack' in US history | CNN#espionage #surveillance #spying #politics #China #technology #telecommunications #hacking #politicshttps://t.co/wSCXiQzfcH via @YouTube

— 0ok (@0ok) November 25, 2024

“This intrusion is part of a larger effort by China to infiltrate global telecom systems,” Warner said. He emphasized the severity of the hack, comparing it to previous cyberattacks but calling it far more dangerous.

High-profile figures, including President-elect Donald Trump, Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, and members of Kamala Harris’ campaign team, were reportedly among those impacted. The FBI and CISA have identified the perpetrators, but additional details remain undisclosed.

The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency are warning that unencrypted texts between Android and iPhones could pose a serious risk following the Salt Typhoon hack of several US telecommunication providers. https://t.co/XUw0HtDiwI pic.twitter.com/2dmCZenglt

— Fox News (@FoxNews) December 8, 2024

White House – The U.S. believes that an alleged sweeping Chinese cyber espionage campaign known as Salt Typhoon targeted and recorded telephone calls of "very senior" American political figures
Anne Neuberger, US deputy national security adviser👇https://t.co/dgeGMHl1KC

— Lilian Armstrong (@LilianArm99) December 8, 2024

Chinese officials have denied any involvement, claiming the accusations are baseless. Meanwhile, U.S. lawmakers are demanding stronger cybersecurity measures to prevent similar breaches in the future.