AT&T, Verizon Confirm Their Networks Were Hacked in Salt Typhoon
AT&T and Verizon acknowledged Saturday that their networks were part of the U.S.-based infrastructure that was hacked in Salt Typhoon Chinese government-affiliated operation (see 2411190073), but both carriers insisted their operations are now secure. “We detect no activity by nation-state…
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actors in our networks at this time,” an AT&T spokesperson said. “Based on our current investigation of this attack, the People's Republic of China targeted a small number of individuals of foreign intelligence interest.” The carrier said it monitored and secured its networks following the attack to protect other consumers’ data. Verizon Chief Legal Officer Vendana Venkatesh likewise said the carrier has “not detected threat actor activity in Verizon's network for some time, and after considerable work addressing this incident, we can report that Verizon has contained the activities associated with this particular incident.” Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser-cyber and emerging technology, said during a Friday conference call with reporters that the federal government has identified a ninth U.S.-based telecom provider compromised in the Salt Typhoon hack. The “Chinese gained access to networks and essentially had broad and full access,” which allowed them to “geolocate millions of individuals, to record phone calls at will,” Neuberger said. She said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel’s draft declaratory ruling finding that Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act Section (CALEA) Section 105 requires telecom carriers to secure their networks against cyberattacks (see 2412050044) would help limit the impact of future hacks.