A cyberattack attributed to Chinese hackers has been labeled the most severe telecom hack in U.S. history by Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. The breach targeted major carriers, including AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, compromising sensitive communications and exposing vulnerabilities in the country’s telecommunications infrastructure.
The hack, carried out by a group called Salt Typhoon, reportedly allowed hackers to intercept live phone calls and unencrypted text messages while collecting metadata such as call durations, phone numbers, and locations. Encrypted apps like Signal and iMessage were not affected, but the breach enabled real-time surveillance of specific targets, including U.S. politicians and national security officials.
The hackers reportedly focused on individuals such as former President Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance, with intrusions occurring for limited periods. Investigators believe the attackers may still have access to parts of the system despite retreating after the breach was exposed.
Senator Warner compared the breach to major cyberattacks like SolarWinds and the Colonial Pipeline hack, calling this incident far more severe. He emphasized the need to modernize telecom infrastructure and close security gaps.
