Chinese Hacked US Telecom a Year Before Known Wireless Breaches

A Bloomberg report reveals a previously undisclosed cyberattack on a US telecommunications company by Chinese hackers in the summer of 2023. Corporate investigators found malware tied to Chinese state-backed groups had resided on the company's systems for seven months. The unclassified report, shared with Western intelligence agencies, doesn't disclose the targeted company's identity. This intrusion occurred a year before the US government identified similar breaches by Chinese hackers. The US government attributes later attacks to the "Salt Typhoon" hacking group, potentially related to the 2023 incident. This discovery prompts questions about when Chinese attackers gained initial access to the American communications industry. The hackers used sophisticated rootkit malware, Demodex, linked to China's Ministry of State Security. This malware allowed stealthy, undetected access to systems. Experts note the vulnerability and compromise of US telecom infrastructure by China. A Chinese government spokesperson denies any involvement and accuses the US and allies of disinformation.