US Agencies to Brief House on Chinese Telecom Hacking Scandal 'Salt Typhoon'

 

3D printed models of people working on computers and padlock are seen in front of a displayed

WASHINGTON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - U.S. government agencies will conduct a classified briefing for the House of Representatives on Tuesday about Salt Typhoon, China's alleged cyber espionage campaign targeting American telecommunications companies. The effort is believed to involve stealing U.S. call data and sensitive metadata, officials confirmed on Monday.

Participating in the briefing will be the FBI, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, the National Security Council, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). This follows a similar closed-door briefing for U.S. senators last week.

According to the White House, at least eight U.S.-based telecommunications and infrastructure firms have been impacted by the breach, with a significant amount of Americans' metadata reportedly stolen. While no further comment was provided, officials emphasized the broad reach of this cyberespionage campaign.

Senator Ron Wyden (D) shared with reporters that he is drafting new legislation in response, while Senator Bob Casey (D) voiced concerns about the breach, noting that Congress might not address the issue until next year.

Additionally, a Senate Commerce subcommittee is scheduled to hold a hearing on Wednesday to investigate the Salt Typhoon campaign and evaluate how these cybersecurity threats are compromising communication networks. Tim Donovan, CEO of the Competitive Carriers Association, is expected to participate.

Chinese officials have denied these allegations, claiming they are misinformation and asserting that Beijing opposes all forms of cyberattacks. Despite this, concerns remain about the scale of these intrusions and whether companies and government agencies can fully reassure Americans about their safety from these breaches.

Senator Richard Blumenthal expressed urgency over the matter, stating: "The extent and depth of Chinese hacking is absolutely mind-boggling - that we would permit as much as has happened in just the last year is terrifying.