Salt Typhoon telecom breach remarkable for its \u2018indiscriminate\u2019 targeting, FBI official says | CyberScoop<\/title> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/salt-typhoon-telecom-breach-remarkable-for-its-indiscriminate-targeting-fbi-official-says\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Salt Typhoon telecom breach remarkable for its \u2018indiscriminate\u2019 targeting, FBI official says\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Speaking at a conference presented by CyberScoop, Cynthia Kaiser said the impact of the breach could last forever.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/salt-typhoon-telecom-breach-remarkable-for-its-indiscriminate-targeting-fbi-official-says\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-02-19T20:11:47+00:00\"> <meta 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class=\"stickybar stickybar--event js-stickybar\">\n<div class=\"stickybar__details\" readability=\"5.12\">\n<div class=\"stickybar__info js-sticky-bar-content\" readability=\"32\">\n<p>Nominations can be submitted for the 2025 CyberScoop 50 awards!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <a class=\"stickybar__link button button-tertiary\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/cyberscoop50\/\">Click here!<\/a> <\/div>\n<p> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"25.932558139535\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"31.697211155378\">\n<p> Speaking at a conference presented by CyberScoop, Cynthia Kaiser said the impact of the breach could last forever. <\/p>\n<p>   <\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/salt-typhoon-telecom-breach-remarkable-for-its-indiscriminate-targeting-fbi-official-says.jpg?resize=640%2C426&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/salt-typhoon-telecom-breach-remarkable-for-its-indiscriminate-targeting-fbi-official-says-2.jpg 7008w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/salt-typhoon-telecom-breach-remarkable-for-its-indiscriminate-targeting-fbi-official-says-2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/salt-typhoon-telecom-breach-remarkable-for-its-indiscriminate-targeting-fbi-official-says-2.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/salt-typhoon-telecom-breach-remarkable-for-its-indiscriminate-targeting-fbi-official-says-2.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/salt-typhoon-telecom-breach-remarkable-for-its-indiscriminate-targeting-fbi-official-says-2.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/salt-typhoon-telecom-breach-remarkable-for-its-indiscriminate-targeting-fbi-official-says-2.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/salt-typhoon-telecom-breach-remarkable-for-its-indiscriminate-targeting-fbi-official-says-2.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/salt-typhoon-telecom-breach-remarkable-for-its-indiscriminate-targeting-fbi-official-says-2.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/salt-typhoon-telecom-breach-remarkable-for-its-indiscriminate-targeting-fbi-official-says-2.jpg?resize=506,337 506w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/salt-typhoon-telecom-breach-remarkable-for-its-indiscriminate-targeting-fbi-official-says-2.jpg?resize=1013,675 1013w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/salt-typhoon-telecom-breach-remarkable-for-its-indiscriminate-targeting-fbi-official-says-2.jpg?resize=1265,843 1265w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1013px) 100vw, 1013px\"><figcaption> Cynthia Kaiser, deputy assistant director in the FBI’s cyber division, speaks during CyberScoop’s Zero Trust Summit on Feb. 19, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Scoop News Group photo) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"21.632107023411\"><body readability=\"45.512367491166\"><\/p>\n<p>One of the most notable elements of the monumental hack of major telecommunications companies is just how \u201cindiscriminate\u201d it was in its pursuit of data, a top FBI official said Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>The FBI has been investigating the breach, which it has blamed on Chinese government hackers commonly known as <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/tag\/salt-typhoon\/\">Salt Typhoon<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat we found particularly remarkable in our investigation is the gigantic and seemingly indiscriminate collection of call records and data about American people, like your friends, your family, people in your community,\u201d Cynthia Kaiser, deputy assistant director in the bureau\u2019s cyber division, said at the 2025 Zero Trust Summit, presented by CyberScoop.<\/p>\n<p>Kaiser characterized the breach as \u201ca different level of insidiousness\u201d from Beijing, one that reflects its \u201cambition and reckless aggression in cyberspace.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The hack compromised a whole range of data, from law enforcement information to call records. And the scope of it left no kind of target out, not even children, Kaiser said. It\u2019s data China will be able to hold on to forever, she said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCan any of you imagine a world in which China would have been stealing information about you as a 13-year-old?\u201d she asked the audience. \u201cThat\u2019s precisely what American children are facing in this new era of big data, cyber espionage, and that\u2019s going to follow them no matter which careers or risks they choose in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Salt Typhoon hack is one of a number of recent notable incidents that has prompted <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/aggressive-cyber-offense-trump-administration-us-strategy-debate\/\">Trump administration officials and some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle<\/a> to say the United States needs to return fire at adversaries in cyberspace with its own offensive operations.<\/p>\n<p>Salt Typhoon\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/salt-typhoon-china-ongoing-telecom-attack-spree\/\">campaign remains active<\/a> in and has hit multiple additional networks worldwide since being outed last year. <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/treasury-sanctions-chinese-cybersecurity-company-salt-typhoon-hacks\/\">The U.S. government sanctioned<\/a> a Chinese national and a cybersecurity company based in Sichuan, China, for taking part in the hacking campaign.<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"7.7216117216117\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/salt-typhoon-telecom-breach-remarkable-for-its-indiscriminate-targeting-fbi-official-says-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Tim Starks\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-card__details\" readability=\"10.901098901099\">\n<h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Tim Starks<\/h4>\n<p> Tim Starks is senior reporter at CyberScoop. His previous stops include working at The Washington Post, POLITICO and Congressional Quarterly. An Evansville, Ind. native, he’s covered cybersecurity since 2003. Email Tim here: <a href=\"mailto:tim.starks@cyberscoop.com\">tim.starks@cyberscoop.com<\/a>. <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"popular-stories popular-stories--single-post\">\n<div 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FBI<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3723,271,78,3724,273,669,302,2953,1271,29,2273,288],"tags":[3725,277,86,3726,279,671,306,2956,1274,37,2277,294],"class_list":["post-7366","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-children","category-china","category-cybersecurity","category-cynthia-kaiser","category-fbi","category-federal-bureau-of-investigation-fbi","category-geopolitics","category-salt-typhoon","category-sanctions","category-telecommunications","category-telecoms","category-threats","tag-children","tag-china","tag-cybersecurity","tag-cynthia-kaiser","tag-fbi","tag-federal-bureau-of-investigation-fbi","tag-geopolitics","tag-salt-typhoon","tag-sanctions","tag-telecommunications","tag-telecoms","tag-threats"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":"","thumbnail":"","medium":"","medium_large":"","large":"","1536x1536":"","2048x2048":"","chromenews-featured":"","chromenews-large":"","chromenews-medium":""},"author_info":{"display_name":"Cyber Scoop","author_link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/author\/cyberscoop\/"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/children\/\" rel=\"category tag\">children<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/china\/\" rel=\"category tag\">China<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/cybersecurity\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Cybersecurity<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/cynthia-kaiser\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Cynthia Kaiser<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/fbi\/\" rel=\"category tag\">FBI<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/federal-bureau-of-investigation-fbi\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/geopolitics\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Geopolitics<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/salt-typhoon\/\" rel=\"category 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{"id":7366,"date":"2025-02-19T14:11:47","date_gmt":"2025-02-19T20:11:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=83531"},"modified":"2025-02-19T14:11:47","modified_gmt":"2025-02-19T20:11:47","slug":"salt-typhoon-telecom-breach-remarkable-for-its-indiscriminate-targeting-fbi-official-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2025\/02\/19\/salt-typhoon-telecom-breach-remarkable-for-its-indiscriminate-targeting-fbi-official-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Salt Typhoon telecom breach remarkable for its \u2018indiscriminate\u2019 targeting, FBI official says"},"content":{"rendered":"