Recent reports indicated that Chinese hackers have infiltrated the networks of a major broadband provider in the United States, sparking concerns over national security risks. Lawmakers from both parties in the U.S. Congress have demanded answers from three large telecommunications companies – AT&T, Verizon Communications, and Lumen Technologies – regarding the extent of the network breach and related issues.
According to a letter released on Friday, legislators are worried that if hackers can monitor the U.S. government, it could pose a significant national security threat. The Wall Street Journal reported last Saturday that Chinese hackers stole information from a system authorized by U.S. courts for government network surveillance, alleging that the networks of these three telecommunications companies were compromised.
Previously, on September 25, the “Salt Typhoon” hacking group, allegedly linked to China, breached the systems of several broadband network service providers in the U.S., including AT&T, Verizon Communications, and Lumen Technologies, with the intention of stealing sensitive data.
U.S. intelligence officials believe that the “Salt Typhoon” hackers may have been inside American telecommunications companies for months and have identified a pathway to access the authorized interception points in court. This type of cyber attack could present serious security vulnerabilities.
Chair of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, Republican Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, along with Chief Democratic Representative Frank Pallone, and Representatives Bob Latta and Doris Matsui, demanded that the three telecommunications companies respond to their inquiries and provide a briefing and detailed response by next Friday.
These lawmakers expressed growing concerns about security vulnerabilities within the U.S. telecommunications network and requested detailed explanations from the companies regarding what information was stolen by Chinese hackers, when they became aware of the breach, and what measures are being taken to safeguard customer data.
Additionally, Chairman of the House Republican China Task Force, Representative John Moolenaar, and Chief Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, also requested briefings from the aforementioned three major U.S. telecommunications companies that were targeted by Chinese hackers to explain when they became aware of the hacking activities and what measures are being implemented to protect the surveillance systems from further attacks.
“It is clear that we are facing a cyber adversary unlike any we’ve encountered before, and urgent steps must be taken to bolster our nation’s cybersecurity measures,” the two lawmakers stated in the letter released on Friday. They emphasized the seriousness of the network attacks associated with the Chinese government, which infiltrated the networks of multiple broadband providers in the U.S., potentially gaining access to information from the network surveillance request system utilized by federal courts. For months or longer, hackers may have had access to the network infrastructure used to facilitate legal requests for U.S. communications data.
The timing of the Chinese hackers’ infiltration remains unclear.