White House: Hackers linked to China infiltrated 8 telecommunication companies in the U.S.

12/09/2024 / By Laura Harris

Deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technologies Anne Neuberger has revealed that China-sponsored hackers infiltrated at least eight telecommunication companies in the United States.

In a press briefing on Dec. 4, Neuberger revealed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) initially identified the hacking in October. Since then, the White House has held meetings with telecommunications executives to share intelligence and bolster collaboration between the public and private sectors.

According to the investigation, Salt Typhoon, the latest in a series of Chinese hacking groups targeting U.S. critical infrastructure, is behind the hacking. The FBI and the CISA claim that the hacking began one to two years ago and has affected several countries besides the United States. (Related: U.S. suffers “worst telecom hack” in history after Beijing-linked hacking group “Salt Typhoon” secretly intercepted surveillance data on Americans.)

On Nov. 13, the FBI and CISA reported that the group had stolen call records and private communications from individuals primarily involved in government or political activities. On Dec. 3, both agencies as well as the National Security Agency (NSA) and their international partners published guidelines for securing communication infrastructure. Even the affected telecom companies have taken their actions, but none have completely removed the Salt Typhoon from their systems.

In line with this, CISA Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity Jeff Greene warned the public that same day that eradicating the hackers from U.S. networks would take time. “It would be impossible for us to predict when we’ll have full eviction.”

This leaves U.S. networks vulnerable to ongoing breaches. “There is a risk of ongoing compromises to communications until U.S. companies address the cybersecurity gaps the Chinese are likely to maintain their access,” Neuberger added.

Rep. Laurel Lee proposes HR 9769 to combat state-sponsored cyber threats

In response to the breaches, Rep. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.), a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, has proposed H.R. 9769 to address vulnerabilities of U.S. networks.

H.R. 9769, also known as the Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act, would establish an inter-agency task force led by CISA and the FBI to combat state-sponsored cyber threats and require annual reports to Congress for the next five years.

“The CCP, acting through Volt Typhoon and other threat actors, has made a concerted effort to pre-position itself within our networks to target and compromise the critical infrastructure Americans rely on every day – from the transportation and water sectors to the energy sector.

While individual agencies have worked to examine and address the threats posed by malign cyber actors like the Volt Typhoon, a siloed approach to cybersecurity will only give our adversaries the upper hand. The federal government must implement a focused, coordinated and whole-of-government response to all of Beijing’s cyber threats, so no other actors succeed,” Lee said on Sept. 24, the day she proposed HR 976.

Lee reinstated her statement on her official account on X, formerly known as Twitter, shortly after Neuberger revealed the most recent breach.

“The Chinese Communist Party [CCP] will continue to exploit and undermine our national security every chance they get. We must stand up against foreign adversaries. My bill, the Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act, will combat the CCP’s growing threats against our critical infrastructure,” she posted.

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