Key Points
- AT&T and Verizon confirm containment of “Salt Typhoon” hacking activity. The Chinese group targeted prominent political figures in the US.
- Verizon and AT&T have informed affected customers and reinforced security.
- T-Mobile thwarted an attempted infiltration but couldn’t confirm the attackers’ identity.
- Ongoing efforts focus on vigilance and collaboration to counter nation-state cyber threats.
AT&T and Verizon have successfully neutralized activity from “Salt Typhoon,” a Chinese hacking group responsible for infiltrating at least nine US telecom companies in an extensive spying operation targeting prominent political figures. The breach, labeled by Senate Intelligence Chairman Mark Warner as the “worst telecom hack in our nation’s history—by far,” required extensive efforts to secure the networks, including replacing outdated routers and switches.
Verizon Chief Legal Officer Vandana Venkatesh confirmed the absence of any recent Salt Typhoon activity in their network. An independent cybersecurity firm validated this assessment. Similarly, AT&T reported no current nation-state activity within its networks, reaffirming its commitment to collaborating with government officials, other telecom providers, and third-party experts to fortify its systems and safeguard customer data.
While AT&T explicitly attributed the attack to the People’s Republic of China, stating the hackers targeted a small number of individuals for foreign intelligence purposes, Verizon refrained from naming China directly. Still, it acknowledged that high-profile government and political figures were specific targets. Both companies have informed affected customers of the breach.
In November, T-Mobile detected attempts to infiltrate its systems from a compromised wireline provider’s network. To mitigate further risks, T-Mobile severed its connection with the provider, preventing the attack from advancing and securing sensitive customer information. Although the company couldn’t definitively attribute the attack to Salt Typhoon, it reported its findings to the government for further evaluation.
Despite the containment, officials remain cautious. Deputy National Security Adviser Anne Neuberger recently highlighted the complexity of eradicating such threats, suggesting the need for comprehensive updates to outdated infrastructure. AT&T and Verizon stress the importance of ongoing vigilance and collaboration to counter nation-state cyberattacks and protect sensitive information.