Former FBI Official Says Chinese Cyberattack Likely Affected Every American

WASHINGTON — A former FBI official has stated that a Chinese cyberattack campaign likely impacted every American, according to authorities. The campaign, known as Salt Typhoon, was a five-year operation targeting U.S. telecommunications networks and other critical infrastructure.

International law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and the National Security Agency, issued a joint advisory in September warning that Chinese Communist Party-sponsored actors were targeting multiple sectors of American life. These sectors include telecommunications, government, transportation, lodging, and military infrastructure networks.

The cyberattack was not limited to the United States; it affected many countries worldwide, according to the advisory. The three Chinese companies believed to be behind Salt Typhoon reportedly work for China’s intelligence services, including units within the People’s Liberation Army and the Ministry of State Security.

Through the information gathered during the cyberattacks, Chinese intelligence services were able to identify and track their targets’ communications and movements globally.

Cynthia Kaiser, a former senior official in the FBI’s cyber division, told the New York Times that it is difficult to imagine any American who was not affected by the campaign. “I can’t imagine any American was spared given the breadth of the campaign,” she said.

The FBI confirmed that senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures had their communications accessed during the breach.

Pete Nicoletti, chief information security officer at Check Point, told Fox News Digital that the Salt Typhoon hackers had “full rein access” to telecommunications data. He explained that even non-targeted individuals, such as ordinary Americans making everyday phone calls, were subject to surveillance. Specific targets included high-profile figures such as former President Donald Trump, U.S. government officials, and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Nicoletti noted that the hackers established a foothold and exfiltrated data over a five-year period, describing this duration as “almost unprecedented.” He expressed concern not only about what Salt Typhoon may target in the future but also about whether the group remains embedded in companies and agencies that have yet to detect the intrusion.

The scope and duration of the Salt Typhoon campaign highlight ongoing cybersecurity challenges faced by the United States and its allies in protecting critical infrastructure from state-sponsored cyber threats.