The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have claimed the discovery of a significant cyberespionage campaign conducted by hackers linked to the Chinese government, Al Jazeera reports.
The campaign targeted individuals working in government and politics, aiming to steal sensitive information.
The agencies revealed that hackers affiliated with Beijing compromised networks at multiple telecommunications companies, enabling them to access and steal customer call records data. This access also exposed the private communications of a limited number of individuals, primarily involved in government or political activity.
The FBI and CISA did not disclose the specific individuals targeted, but emphasized the seriousness of the breach. They also revealed that the hackers gained access to information subject to US law enforcement requests, potentially including programs under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
This latest revelation follows a string of high-profile hacking incidents attributed to China. In September, the FBI exposed the “Flax Typhoon” campaign, which involved the installation of malicious software on over 200,000 consumer devices, creating a network of infected computers used for cybercrime.
Last month, the FBI initiated an investigation into alleged Chinese hacking of mobile phones belonging to former Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, his running mate JD Vance, and individuals associated with Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. This hack reportedly involved infiltrating the network of US mobile phone provider Verizon.
While the FBI and CISA did not explicitly connect the recent hacking efforts to these previous campaigns, the announcement highlights a persistent pattern of cyber espionage operations attributed to China, targeting both US government and private sector entities.
