Concerns are mounting over a sophisticated Chinese hacking operation that U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner has described as the “worst telecom hack in the nation’s history.”
The breach reportedly infiltrated every major U.S. telecom provider, allowing hackers to track phone calls, read text messages, and even listen to conversations involving high-ranking political figures from both parties, including President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance.
Sources briefed on the situation said that the operation has targeted senior Democratic and Republican leaders, including Senator Chuck Schumer. While the specific intelligence gathered during the hack remains unclear, the scale and depth of the intrusion have alarmed U.S. officials.
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“This is a five-alarm fire,” said CNN’s cybersecurity correspondent Sean Lingas, noting the breach’s unprecedented reach. “The U.S. government itself would envy the sophistication of this operation.”
The hack is drawing bipartisan attention, with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle reportedly affected. The breach has raised concerns about potential policy leaks and sensitive communications being compromised as the incoming Trump administration prepares to take office.
The Biden administration is scrambling to address the crisis before handing over power to the Trump administration. On Friday, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan briefed senior telecom executives in a White House meeting, sharing the latest intelligence. However, officials admitted that they are still uncovering the full extent of the breach and attempting to expel the hackers from compromised systems.
“This is a fluid situation,” Lingas reported. “U.S. officials are trying to figure out what the hackers accessed, how they’re operating, and how to eliminate them.”
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A full briefing for U.S. senators is scheduled for December 4, where more details are expected to emerge. Experts warn that the hackers may still have a foothold in critical systems, complicating efforts to fully secure the networks.
With both the outgoing Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration facing the fallout from this breach, the situation underscores the growing challenges of cybersecurity in an era of heightened geopolitical tensions.
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