The hackers infiltrated the systems of multiple telecommunications firms, obtaining U.S. customer call records and communications from a select group of individuals primarily engaged in government or political activities, as stated in a joint announcement from the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
According to the agencies, the hackers also accessed certain information that was subject to U.S. law enforcement requests under court orders.
The announcement provided limited additional information, and CISA did not respond promptly to a request for comment. The FBI also refrained from making any statements.
This revelation aligns with earlier media reports, particularly from the Wall Street Journal, which suggested that Chinese hackers may have gained unauthorized access to the interception systems utilized by law enforcement to monitor American telecommunications.
Additionally, reports indicated that Chinese hackers had targeted the phones of then-presidential and vice-presidential candidates Donald Trump and JD Vance, as well as other high-ranking political figures, raising significant concerns about the security of the U.S. telecommunications infrastructure.
The Department of Homeland Security's Cyber Safety Review Board is set to investigate this issue, which was established to examine the causes and consequences of significant digital security breaches.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington has not yet responded to requests for comment, and Beijing consistently denies allegations of hacking by the U.S.