Unmasking Salt Typhoon: Inside China's Vast Hacking Operation

Federal authorities urged telecom firms to enhance security after a Chinese hacking campaign accessed private communications of many Americans. The joint alert from U.S. and international partners highlights this extensive cyberespionage's global reach. The full scale of the breach remains unclear, prompting calls for robust network defenses.

Federal authorities on Tuesday called on telecommunications companies to strengthen network security after a widespread Chinese hacking operation provided Beijing access to private communications of countless Americans.

The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency released guidance to help eliminate these hackers and prevent future cyberespionage attempts. Officials noted that the U.S. is still uncertain about the full extent of China's attack.

Demonstrating the global impact, the warning was issued with security agencies from New Zealand, Australia, and Canada, all part of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance. Dubbed Salt Typhoon, the hacking was aimed at infiltrating telecom networks to access user metadata and private communications.

(With inputs from agencies.)