Cyber Sleuths: Chinese Hackers Breach US Telecom Surveillance

Chinese hackers have infiltrated U.S. telecom companies, intercepting surveillance data meant for law enforcement. The breach involved stealing call records and communications from individuals in government and politics, raising security concerns about America's telecommunications infrastructure. The Department of Homeland Security is set to investigate.

U.S. authorities reported a security breach involving China-linked hackers exploiting telecom networks to access surveillance data meant for American law enforcement. The breach reportedly involved multiple telecommunications companies, impacting a limited number of individuals engaged in government or political activities.

The hackers allegedly extracted U.S. customer call records and other communications, alongside information that was subject to U.S. law enforcement requests through court orders, according to a joint statement from the FBI and CISA. Both agencies refrained from providing further comments on the breach.

This incident has escalated concerns over the security of the U.S. telecommunications infrastructure, with calls for an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security's Cyber Safety Review Board. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comments, while Beijing consistently denies such hacking allegations.

(With inputs from agencies.)