Washington: The United States has accused China of orchestrating an extensive cyber espionage operation, dubbed Salt Typhoon, which allegedly targeted and recorded telephone calls of “very senior” American political figures. Anne Neuberger, the U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technology, disclosed these details on Saturday during the Manama Dialogue regional security conference in Bahrain.
Neuberger revealed that while a significant volume of Americans’ metadata may have been compromised, the operation appears to have specifically focused on high-level political targets. “We believe … the actual number of calls that they took, recorded, and took, was really more focused on very senior political individuals,” she stated.
Details of the Campaign
The alleged espionage campaign reportedly infiltrated major telecommunications and infrastructure firms in the U.S., including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Lumen. Hackers allegedly intercepted phone call audio and amassed a vast amount of call record data. A senior U.S. official indicated that dozens of companies globally, including at least eight telecom firms in the U.S., were affected.
In October, The New York Times reported that the hackers’ targets included family members of then-President-elect Donald Trump and officials in the Biden administration.
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China’s Response
Chinese officials have categorically denied the allegations, dismissing them as disinformation. A statement from Beijing reiterated that the nation “firmly opposes and combats cyberattacks and cyber theft in all forms.”
Ongoing Investigation
The full scale of the hacking campaign remains under investigation. “We’re still investigating the scope and scale,” Neuberger remarked, declining to reveal further specifics, including the identities of the individuals targeted.
