A Chinese-backed hacking campaign has breached at least 200 American companies and organizations worldwide, the FBI confirmed this week.
FBI assistant director Brett Leatherman told The Washington Post that the hackers, known as Salt Typhoon, previously compromised nine U.S. telecommunications and internet providers, but are now confirmed to have expanded their reach to hundreds of other firms. The group also infiltrated companies in 80 countries, underscoring the global scale of the espionage campaign.
While the FBI did not name the most recent victims, past targets included AT&T, Verizon, Lumen, Charter Communications, and Windstream.
Investigators say Salt Typhoon focused on call records from senior U.S. politicians and officials, allowing them to map sensitive communications and even identify targets of U.S. surveillance carried out under legal orders. At the height of the campaign, the FBI recommended that Americans switch to encrypted messaging apps to prevent further exposure.
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In an advisory published Wednesday, the FBI and nearly two dozen international agencies said the group primarily targets company routers to siphon sensitive network traffic. The bulletin also included technical guidance for detecting intrusions.
Leatherman emphasized that the cyber threat from China is “ongoing,” calling for vigilance from both companies and governments worldwide.
