December 5th, 2024

Worst US hack in history: Chinese can monitor all your calls and emails

The U.S. faces a severe cybersecurity crisis from a major hack by state-sponsored Chinese hackers, affecting telecom networks and prompting officials to recommend end-to-end encryption for communication security.

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Worst US hack in history: Chinese can monitor all your calls and emails

The United States is facing a significant cybersecurity crisis, described as the worst telecommunications hack in its history, attributed to state-sponsored Chinese hackers known as Salt Typhoon. This breach has infiltrated major telecom networks, including AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, allowing attackers to monitor communications of high-profile individuals, including politicians. The FBI detected the intrusion months ago, but efforts to remove the attackers have proven difficult due to the extensive nature of the breach, which may have begun over a year ago. The attackers utilized sophisticated tools to maintain access and intercept real-time conversations, raising concerns about national security and privacy. U.S. officials have urged the public to switch to end-to-end encrypted communication services to protect against surveillance, emphasizing that backdoors in encryption create vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious actors. The ongoing situation highlights the critical need for robust encryption without backdoors to safeguard sensitive data and communications. As the breach continues, the timeline for resolution remains unclear, prompting immediate action from individuals to secure their communications.

- The breach is considered the worst telecommunications hack in U.S. history, affecting major telecom providers.

- Attackers have monitored communications of high-profile individuals, including politicians.

- U.S. officials recommend using end-to-end encryption to protect against surveillance.

- The incident underscores the dangers of backdoors in encryption, which can be exploited by attackers.

- The timeline for fully resolving the breach remains uncertain, necessitating immediate protective measures.

Link Icon 5 comments
By @talldayo - 5 months
Second worst hack. The worst one was when the FBI and NSA worked together to install the backdoors that China uses today, and then exploited them for warrentless surveillance for years without any significant criticism.
By @foxyv - 5 months
Gee, if only someone had warned them all this time! (About backdoors that is)
By @wizzard0 - 5 months
turns out the backdoor is a door after all ¯\_(ツ)_/¯