--- title: "It Appears That Chinese Hackers Have Stolen Your Naughty Texts" description: "Last month, news emerged that Chinese hackers penetrated the networks of a number of US broadband providers. The situation is even worse." date: "2024-11-23" modified: "2024-11-23" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/chinese-hackers-stolen-texts" categories: - "Cybersecurity" - "Future Society" - "Hacking" tags: - "china" - "cyberattacks" - "donald trump" - "hackers" - "the digest" --- # It Appears That Chinese Hackers Have Stolen Your Naughty Texts ![Last month, news emerged that Chinese hackers penetrated the networks of a number of US broadband providers. The situation is even worse.]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* ## Wiretap Dance Last month, the [*Wall Street Journal* reported]() that Chinese hackers had successfully penetrated the networks of a number of US broadband providers. Investigators found that the cyber attackers had potential access to a federal government system that's used for court-authorized wiretapping requests — a major national security scandal. And according to new comments by Senate Intelligence Committee chairman and Virginia senator Mark Warner, the situation is far worse than we thought. "The barn door is still wide open, or mostly open," he [told the *New York Times*](), explaining that the hackers even have access to telephone conversations and text messages. In short, it's a stunning and reportedly "ongoing" data breach that took advantage of the aging and insecure telecommunications network in the United States. ## Data Syphon The hack has since been linked to a Chinese intelligence-gathering hacking group dubbed Salt Typhoon. According to government officials, the hackers were able to even listen in on conversations involving president-elect Donald Trump and vice president-elect JD Vance. They exploited out-of-date telecommunications equipment and seams in the infrastructure connecting major networks to a much larger extent than initially feared. Warner warned that while US officials previously claimed the hackers had disappeared with no trace, there's a good chance they're still listening in on phone conversations and reading text messages. "We’ve not found everywhere they are," he told the *NYT*. Even considering previous infiltrations by Chinese hackers, the latest stunt is particularly egregious. "This is far and away the most serious telecom hack in our history," Warner told the *NYT*. "This makes Colonial Pipeline and SolarWinds look like small potatoes," he said, referring to two major Russian state-backed intrusions targeting the US in 2021 and 2019 respectively. Fortunately, encrypted messages being exchanged on platforms like WhatsApp, Signal or Apple's iMessage network were off-limits for the Chinese hackers. Other messages being exchanged between iPhones and Android phones, however, were fair game, as were phone calls over ordinary networks. The hackers' primary targets were national security officials and politicians, according to investigators. As the [*Washington Post* reports](), around 150 victims, most of whom reside in the Washington DC area, have been notified about breaches by the FBI. Meanwhile, Trump's pick for the Federal Communications Commission Brendan Carr revealed that he was already briefed on the Salt Typhoon hack and has vowed to hit the ground running. "Cybersecurity is going to be an incredibly important issue," he told reporters, as quoted by *WaPo*. "National security is going to be a top priority." **More on cyberattacks:** *[Chinese Hackers Use Quantum Computer to Break Military-Grade Encryption]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()