A secret cyber operation has been running for years without most people knowing. Since at least 2019, hackers linked to China have been breaking into networks around the world. Their main targets were telecom companies.
A Silent Hack That Lasted for Years
By breaking into routers and core systems, they gained the power to see and hear private communications.
This allowed the hackers to steal personal data, track calls and texts, and even follow the movements of people across countries. They also reached into sensitive areas like court-approved wiretaps. Experts say this was not a quick smash-and-grab. Instead, it was a patient and careful campaign that went deep into infrastructure.
What makes this more alarming is how widespread the impact is. More than 80 countries were hit, covering not just phone networks but also government agencies, transport systems, hotels, and even parts of military infrastructure. Millions of ordinary people may have been caught up in the attack without ever realizing it.
High-Profile Targets and U.S. Telecom Breaches
The hackers did not stop at everyday citizens. They also went after top leaders in the United States. Phones used during the 2024 election campaign were hacked through a major telecom provider’s system. Investigators later confirmed that this attack exposed calls, texts, and location data of not just the direct victims but also everyone who communicated with them.
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This means the ripple effect could reach millions of people. If one person was hacked, all their contacts became vulnerable too.
Telecom giants in the U.S., including Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, were among those breached. These networks carry massive amounts of daily communication, which means the hackers may have had access to conversations and movements across the country. Investigators described the breach as one of the most serious cyber espionage cases in U.S. history.
Global Scale and Official Reactions
The cyber group behind the attack is known as Salt Typhoon. It has been linked to Chinese intelligence services and works through companies that provide hacking tools. However, Chinese officials denied any involvement and claimed they oppose all forms of cybercrime.
Authorities in the United States and other nations began piecing together the scale of the breach in 2024. The FBI first spotted the attacks after noticing suspicious activity around hacked phones. Soon after, government agencies across more than 20 countries released a joint warning confirming that the campaign had spread worldwide.
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In May 2025, lawmakers in the U.S. urged the Homeland Security Department to restore a cyber safety board that had been disbanded earlier in the year. They argued that such oversight is needed to investigate and prevent more breaches. By late August 2025, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a public warning that the campaign was still ongoing.
Experts have called the attack the worst telecom hack in American history. They say it marks a shift from earlier cyber thefts of trade secrets to deeper and more dangerous attempts to control the systems that keep global communications running.
