Chinese Hackers Breach U.S. Telecoms for Wiretap Data

Chinese hackers infiltrated U.S. broadband providers, gaining access to court-authorized wiretapping systems, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen Technologies were affected. China denies any involvement, calling the claims a 'false narrative.' The breach is attributed to a group known as 'Salt Typhoon.'

Chinese hackers have reportedly infiltrated the networks of U.S. broadband providers, acquiring crucial information from federal systems used for court-authorized wiretaps, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The breach affected major telecom companies like Verizon Communications, AT&T, and Lumen Technologies, with hackers potentially holding access for several months. The attack aimed to collect intelligence, targeting network infrastructure used to process court-ordered communications data requests.

China's foreign ministry has denied knowledge of the attack, instead accusing the U.S. of fabricating a 'false narrative.' This development adds to ongoing cybersecurity tensions between the two nations, following U.S. disruptions of a previous Chinese group termed 'Flax Typhoon.'

(With inputs from agencies.)