T-Mobile, a leading U.S. telecom company, announced on Wednesday that a widespread cyberattack targeting the internet and phone industries did not compromise its customers' calls, texts, or voicemails.
Jeff Simon, T-Mobile’s chief security officer, revealed that the company had recently detected infiltration attempts. These attempts were traced to another telecommunications provider connected to T-Mobile’s network, though the specific company was not identified.
"We immediately cut off connectivity with the provider as we believe it was—and might still be—compromised," Simon stated.
Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that a Chinese hacking group known as Salt Typhoon was behind a broad espionage campaign. This operation reportedly affected multiple telecom giants, including T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen, and targeted communications involving U.S. officials, senior citizens, and even presidential candidates.
T-Mobile acknowledged that it could not confirm the hackers' identities but emphasized that there is currently no evidence of unauthorized access to its systems. While not ruling out prior breaches, the company assured that its cybersecurity measures prevented attackers from obtaining sensitive customer data.
When asked by TechCrunch, a T-Mobile representative clarified that metadata from customer communications—such as details about callers, recipients, and communication times—was considered sensitive and remained secure.
Michelle Jacob, a spokesperson for T-Mobile, noted that the company relies on advanced tools like system logs to detect threats and unusual activity swiftly, enabling rapid responses to safeguard its network and users.
T-Mobile highlighted its significant investments in strengthening cybersecurity in recent years, driven by a history of data breaches that exposed millions of customers' personal information.
Last week, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the FBI issued a public alert about China-backed hacking campaigns targeting telecom companies. These attacks reportedly focus on wiretap systems, which U.S. telecom providers are legally required to maintain.
Senior U.S. officials have linked Salt Typhoon’s activities to broader Chinese cyber operations, which they believe are preparing for potential large-scale attacks in the event of future conflict, such as a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
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