WASHINGTON, Dec 4 (Reuters) – A large number of Americans’ metadata has been stolen in the sweeping cyberespionage campaign carried out by a Chinese hacking group dubbed “Salt Typhoon,” a senior U.S. official told journalists on Wednesday.
The official declined to provide specific figures but noted that China’s access to America’s telecommunications infrastructure was broad and that the hacking was still ongoing.
“We believe a large number of Americans’ metadata was taken,” said the official, who spoke to reporters on condition that their name be withheld. Pushed on whether that might include every American cell phone’s records, the official said: “We do not believe it’s every cell phone in the country, but we believe it’s potentially a large number of individuals that the Chinese government was focused on.”
Dozens of companies across the world had been hit by the hackers, the official said, including “at least” eight telecommunications and telecom infrastructure firms in the United States.
U.S. officials have previously alleged the hackers targeted Verizon (VZ.N), opens new tab, AT&T (T.N), opens new tab, T-Mobile (TMUS.O), opens new tab, Lumen (LUMN.N), opens new tab and others. T-