Cyber Crime
China-Linked Hackers Breach U.S. Telecoms, Spy on High-Value Targets in Massive Cyber-Espionage Campaign
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have revealed that hackers linked to China intercepted surveillance data meant for American law enforcement agencies.
This breach followed successful intrusions into multiple telecommunications companies, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. Among the affected companies was T-Mobile, which was targeted as part of an extended cyber-espionage campaign aimed at monitoring cellphone communications of high-value intelligence targets.
According to the Journal, the hackers—allegedly connected to a Chinese intelligence agency—compromised T-Mobile’s systems during a months-long operation. The report did not specify the timing of the attack.
A T-Mobile spokesperson, in an email to Reuters, stated that the company is actively monitoring this industry-wide threat. They assured that, so far, no significant impact has been observed on T-Mobile systems or data, and there is no evidence to suggest any breach of customer information.
It remains unclear whether any information related to T-Mobile customers’ calls or communication records was compromised. Earlier, The Wall Street Journal disclosed that Chinese hackers had infiltrated the networks of other major U.S. broadband providers, including Verizon Communications, AT&T, and Lumen Technologies.
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These breaches reportedly gave the attackers access to systems used by the federal government for court-authorized wiretapping.
The FBI and CISA’s recent findings underscore the extensive reach of this cyber-espionage campaign, which targeted surveillance mechanisms within telecom networks. The Chinese government has consistently denied allegations of state-sponsored hacking against foreign entities.