By John Q. Hosedrinker 
A coalition of U.S. agencies and allied governments has revealed that three private Chinese companies were involved in a large-scale hacking operation known as Salt Typhoon, targeting telecommunication companies globally, including AT&T and Verizon. The operation, active since 2021, allowed China to potentially access communications, including text messages, from millions of people, and track their locations, while also targeting government, transportation, and military infrastructure networks. The FBI, NSA, and CISA, along with international partners, signed a report that detailed that the campaign has hacked over 200 companies across 80 countries. The identified companies, Beijing Huanyu Tianqiong Information Technology, Sichuan Zhixin Ruijie Network Technology, and Sichuan Juxinhe Network Technology, were reportedly acting on behalf of China’s Ministry of State Security.
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China used three private companies to hack global telecoms, U.S. says, and honestly, it’s not entirely surprising. The idea that any nation, especially one with the resources and ambitions of China, wouldn’t be involved in some form of cyber espionage seems naive. The U.S. making this claim, however, does raise eyebrows, especially given the documented history of similar activities on their own side. The point is, this kind of behavior isn’t exactly exclusive to any one country.
When we talk about these sorts of operations, it’s easy to get caught up in the headlines and the accusations. The reality is more complex. The article hints that the U.S. might not directly ask a private company to hack a specific target, but it doesn’t mean they’re not utilizing similar tactics. It also makes the point of mentioning Pegasus, an Israeli-made software that basically turns smartphones into listening devices, used by various governments. Western countries aren’t exactly innocent in the game of digital espionage.
China’s strategy, as suggested, might involve partnering with private companies. This isn’t some groundbreaking revelation; it’s a common practice in various fields. Think about how social media companies, tech giants like Microsoft and Google, and even Apple, work alongside governments for various purposes. This raises serious questions about privacy and the extent of governmental reach. It’s a well-established fact that nothing is truly private under the Chinese Communist Party. This partnership approach allows for deniability and a veneer of legitimacy.
Let’s be clear, if the U.S. is levying accusations, then it might be a bit ironic. The U.S. has also been found to engage in mass surveillance on its own citizens, with the NSA collecting communication data. This activity, far from being illegal as claimed, has been defended by U.S. courts under the guise of “National Security,” authorized by laws like the Patriot Act.
There’s a sense of a double standard here. If China is doing it, it’s an act of aggression; if the U.S. and its allies are doing it, it’s justified by some other principle. The debate over whether these actions are illegal seems like a smokescreen, as the legal definitions depend on the authorizing body and where you stand.
And let’s not forget the role of capitalism, which is brought into the picture as well, and how companies often work with governments. One user suggested that perhaps the U.S. uses all of them. It really begs the question, are any of the major powers truly playing by the rules? Or is it all just a game of who gets caught and who can get away with it?
The situation is, in reality, not that simple as “only three companies.” It is safe to assume that many more companies were engaged in the hacking of global telecoms. It is also fair to say the U.S. probably uses more than three companies.
While it is important to call out any country’s misdeeds, it is also important to recognize the hypocrisy. The U.S. has always sought to undermine China’s influence. This has been done with various international influence operations. It is no surprise that this kind of behavior has been going on for a long time.
Ultimately, the news of China’s alleged cyber intrusions is a reminder of the complex, often murky, reality of international relations in the digital age. It’s a world where state-sponsored hacking, mass surveillance, and corporate partnerships blur the lines between what’s right and what’s wrong.