New Details Emerge Surrounding Chinese Hack of U.S. Networks
As details emerge about China’s recently discovered breach of U.S. telecommunications networks, the situation appears more and more concerning. Among others, the attacks targeted members of both Donald Trump’s and Kamala Harris’s presidential campaigns, including the now president-elect and vice-president-elect. Other notable targets include national security officials.
Politico reported that, on November 13, “the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency acknowledged for the first time that the Chinese had exfiltrated cellular records on Americans and eavesdropped on the conversations of ‘a limited number of individuals who are primarily involved in government or political activity.’” The agencies did not clarify exactly whose data the attack successfully affected.
Officials have responded with concern. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, called the attack “one of the most serious breaches” he’d seen. The committee’s vice chairman, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), said, “It’s a vulnerability that no one imagined or anticipated.”
This month, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) directed its staff to cease using text messages and voice calls when discussing nonpublic material. “While there is no evidence that CFPB has been targeted by this unauthorized access, I ask for your compliance with these directives so we reduce the risk that we will be compromised,” an email from the agency’s chief information officer told staff.
The hack demonstrates the importance of cybersecurity at all levels of the technological stack. As bad actors such as China, Russia, and North Korea continue to carry out cyberwarfare, all Americans – in both public and private sectors must ensure that their networks and devices are maximally safe. Congress has an especially critical role in not weakening cybersecurity with misguided antitrust legislation.
Published on November 22, 2024