Chinese agents can now access every American’s phone calls and text messages, GOP senator warns – IJR

South Dakota Republican Sen. Mike Rounds warned Friday that state-sponsored Chinese hackers known as Salt Typhoon have gained the ability to spy on millions of Americans through their cellphones.

During one event at Halifax’s The Forum, Rounds revealed that hackers have infiltrated every major US telecommunications firm. Rounds said these hackers have penetrated every major telecommunications provider in the country. He also said that the Chinese Communist government is able to read texts and listen to conversations.

“Any and every one of us today is subject to review by the Chinese Communist government of any cell phone conversation you have with someone in America. Because they have access to every one of our major telecommunications companies. They broke in. I can read your texts and hear your conversations,” Rounds said. “It’s just a matter of who they want to listen to and who they don’t.”

The salt typhoon, identified as a Chinese hacking groupinfiltrated the networks of AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, and their presence persists, according to Virginia Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, The Washington Post reported. Warner called the breach “the worst telecommunications hack in our nation’s history — by far.”

The VIOLATIONongoing for over a year, it affects telecom giants like AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile. The hackers even accessed law enforcement’s logs of wiretapping requests, revealing investigative targets, though the wiretapping system itself remains uncompromised, WaPo said. The breach reportedly targeted communications involving former President Donald Trump, Vice President-elect JD Vance and White House officials.

Despite the intervention of the FBI, hacker remains embedded in the US telecommunications infrastructure, according to WaPo. Warner explained that ousting them will require a massive overhaul, including physically replacing thousands of routers and switches in the affected networks.

“This is an ongoing effort by China to infiltrate telecommunications systems around the world, to exfiltrate huge amounts of data,” Warner said.

The group exploited aging infrastructure and trust between networks, allowing real-time interception and data exfiltration, the media reported. While fewer than 150 individuals were directly targeted, the scope of compromised data extends to millions of associated contacts.

The Biden administration is calling for tougher cybersecurity measures to counter persistent Chinese aggression.

“We need to close our digital doors,” said Deputy National Security Adviser Anne Neuberger.

National security officials, including Trump appointees, are vowing to focus more on combating cyber threats.

(Featured Image Credit Media: Screenshot/YouTube/HalifaxtheForum)