Due to state-sponsored Chinese attackers known as Salt Typhoon, the United States is currently dealing with what is being called the worst telecommunications hack in its history. AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile are among the major U.S. telecom carriers whose networks have been extensively compromised by this ongoing cyberattack. Eliminating the attackers from the compromised systems has proven to be extremely difficult due to the extent of the breach. The incident was dubbed “the largest telecommunications hack in U.S. history – by far” by Senate Intelligence Committee Democratic Chairman Mark Warner.
Speaking to The Washington Post, Warner highlighted that this intrusion dwarfs previous cyberattacks like those on Colonial Pipeline or SolarWinds. Removing the attackers would require replacing thousands of outdated devices such as switches and routers—a massive logistical and financial challenge. As a result, the Chinese attackers continue to monitor communications, intercepting real-time phone conversations of high-profile individuals such as Donald Trump, J.D. Vance, and staff members of Vice President Kamala Harris.
The attack, initially detected months ago, is believed to have begun over a year earlier. The primary goal appears to be intelligence gathering. The attackers’ access to U.S. law enforcement surveillance systems could allow them to identify ongoing investigations, although no evidence yet suggests that they accessed recorded surveillance data. Experts have identified the use of advanced tools, including a Windows kernel rootkit named Demodex, which enables sustained access to networks and the extraction of sensitive data.
To protect themselves, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has advised people and companies to use encrypted communication services. By limiting access to the content of calls and messages to the intended recipients, end-to-end encryption guards against interception by hackers or even service providers.
The hack highlights the dangers associated with encryption backdoors, which some claim are essential for law enforcement. However, as this breach shows, backdoors introduce weaknesses that attackers can exploit. In a time when cyber threats are becoming more complex, strong, unbreakable encryption is essential to protecting privacy, security, and national safety.