Senator Urges Probe Into Chinese Spy Operation via U.S. Telecoms

Senator Maria Cantwell has accused Verizon and AT&T of obstructing access to documents related to the Salt Typhoon espionage operation infiltrating U.S. telecoms. She demands their CEOs testify before Congress, highlighting FBI reports that Chinese hackers intercepted communications of Americans and foreign parties.

In a pressing query to telecom giants, Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell has demanded transparency from Verizon and AT&T, accusing them of restricting access to documents on the extensive Chinese espionage activity within U.S. telecommunications, known as Salt Typhoon.

Cantwell has called for both companies' CEOs to testify before Congress, insisting on an explanation for their refusal to provide key security assessments conducted by Alphabet cybersecurity unit Mandiant. This demand follows FBI reports that Chinese hackers infiltrated over 200 U.S. organizations, posing a significant threat to national security.

The incident, labeled among the biggest security breaches in U.S. history, reportedly involved the interception of communications, potentially compromising both citizens and political figures. Cantwell emphasized that this cyberattack enabled the Chinese government to monitor millions of Americans.