FBI says China’s Salt Typhoon hacked at least 200 US companies
A major cyber threat is shaking U.S. businesses. FBI says China’s Salt Typhoon hacked at least 200 US companies, expanding what was once believed to be a small-scale espionage effort into one of the largest known Chinese-backed hacking campaigns.
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According to FBI assistant director Brett Leatherman, Salt Typhoon didn’t just strike in the U.S. The group breached companies in over 80 countries, underscoring the global scope of Beijing-linked cyber operations.
Who Was Targeted by Salt Typhoon?
While the FBI didn’t disclose all victims, several big names have already surfaced. AT&T, Verizon, Lumen, Charter Communications, and Windstream were among those confirmed to be compromised.
The hackers reportedly focused on call records of senior U.S. politicians and officials. By doing so, they could map communication patterns and even see whom the U.S. government was investigating under legal surveillance orders.
Why the FBI Is Sounding the Alarm
At the peak of the threat, the FBI went as far as urging Americans to use encrypted messaging apps to protect their communications. This unusual step highlighted how deeply Salt Typhoon had infiltrated American telecom infrastructure.
An official advisory, published by the FBI and nearly two dozen international agencies, revealed that Salt Typhoon primarily exploited company routers. Once inside, the hackers siphoned sensitive traffic data to fuel their intelligence operations.
Global Impact Beyond the U.S.
The discovery that Salt Typhoon hit 200+ American companies is alarming on its own. But the fact that the group also compromised organizations in 80 countries paints a far more concerning picture.
This is not just a U.S. problem—it’s a global cybersecurity crisis that could disrupt business operations and national security alike.
What Comes Next
The FBI and its partners have released technical guidance for companies to detect and prevent Salt Typhoon intrusions. But with the campaign’s scale now clear, cybersecurity experts warn that governments and businesses alike must invest in stronger defenses.
The case also raises new questions about the resilience of U.S. telecom infrastructure and how far Chinese-backed groups will go in future cyber operations.
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