Chinese Hackers Breach U.S. ISPs, Target Government Wiretap Systems in Major Cyber Espionage Attack

After months of quiet, a Chinese state-linked hacking group known for targeting US telecommunications companies is back in action. The hack has turned into a major national security concern now with these hackers accessing systems used for U.S. government-authorized wiretapping, exposing law enforcement and intelligence communications that could be incriminating.

The breach, which could have spanned months, gave the hackers access to reams of internet traffic and communication data—including for court-authorized wiretaps. The breach is highly concerning because these systems are important for national security probes. China has denied allegations it was behind the attack, which is being viewed as a state-sponsored high-level intelligence-gathering operation.

This hack is representative of a larger narrative of cyberespionage by Chinese groups, with same kind of operations linked to entities such as “Volt Typhoon” and “Flax Typhoon.” U.S. cybersecurity officials are trying to determine all of the ways in which this data may have been exploited, according to the report.

They also highlight the weaknesses in critical US infrastructure, further reinforcing the call for stronger security within the telecoms space (BleepingComputer)​(SecurityWeek)​(TechRadar).