At least 8 U.S. telcos compromised in Chinese hack, White House says
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At least eight U.S. telecommunications carriers were compromised during a wide-reaching Chinese espionage campaign, Anne Neuberger, deputy adviser of cybersecurity and emerging tech, told reporters Wednesday.
Why it matters: This is the first time the U.S. has confirmed the number of carriers reeling from the Salt Typhoon campaign — more than three months after news reports started uncovering details about the operation.
The big picture: Salt Typhoon is now believed to have compromised telecom carriers in "dozens of countries around the world," Neuberger added.
- The operation has been underway for upwards of two years, a senior Biden administration official on the call also said.
Threat level: So far, the U.S. does not believe any classified communications have been accessed, Neuberger said.
- Only a small number of highly-targeted individuals' phone and text communications were stolen, she added.
Zoom in: The White House has convened a unified coordination group that meets daily to investigate the campaign and help telecom networks respond to Salt Typhoon.
- The Commerce Department is also "actively looking" at potential actions against "the companies, researchers or broader ecosystem supporting China's cyber program," the senior official said.
- Neuberger said she and national security adviser Jake Sullivan recently met with key telecom CEOs and cybersecurity experts to discuss ways to better safeguard these networks.
- Neuberger also called for new mandatory cybersecurity requirements for the telecom sector, including rules on secure configurations and network monitoring.
Catch up quick: Officials at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency told reporters Tuesday that U.S. telecom networks are still struggling to kick China out.
- A senior FBI official also said that the bureau first started investigating U.S. intrusions about six months ago.
- "Right now, we do not believe any [telecoms] have fully removed the Chinese actors from these networks," Neuberger confirmed Wednesday.
What we're watching: President-elect Trump has yet to announce his nominees for key cybersecurity roles.
- Whoever takes on the mantle at CISA and inside the White House will have a lot of sway in responding to the Salt Typhoon campaign.
Go deeper: What you need to know about the Salt Typhoon hack
