Salt Typhoon Hackers Accessed Personal Information of Nearly Every U.S. Citizen

A Chinese hacking group known as “Salt Typhoon” has allegedly conducted one of the largest cyberespionage campaigns ever recorded, according to Western security officials. The operation reportedly compromised networks in over 80 countries, including the United States, potentially capturing data on nearly every American, as reported by the New York Times.

Investigators describe the attack as unprecedented in both scale and sophistication. Unlike previous campaigns, this one targeted a wide range of sectors—not only government agencies but also companies in telecommunications, transportation, hospitality, and the military. The hackers exploited longstanding security vulnerabilities to breach major telecom firms, gaining the ability to monitor communications and track movements worldwide. Phones used by prominent politicians during recent campaigns were also targeted, including Donald Trump and JD Vance on the 2024 campaign trail, along with several notable Democrats, according to Euronews.

U.S. and UK officials have condemned the campaign as “unrestrained” and “indiscriminate” in nature. Security experts say this marks a departure from China’s earlier, more focused cyberattacks, moving toward expansive, global operations. Jennifer Ewbank, former CIA digital innovation chief, told the Times that Salt Typhoon represents a “new chapter,” highlighting the group’s patience and advanced technical abilities.

The exact motives behind collecting such an extensive amount of data remain unclear. The breach, uncovered only last year, has been linked by investigators to at least three private Chinese technology firms working with state intelligence agencies, NBC News reports—calling this connection a “remarkable” discovery. Cybersecurity analyst Dakota Cary emphasized the implausibility of the U.S. requesting a private company to hack Chinese President Xi Jinping’s phone, underscoring the complexity of state-sponsored cyber operations.

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