The White House confirmed that at least eight U.S. telecom and infrastructure firms were compromised, with significant amounts of American metadata stolen. ..reports Asian Lite News
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for national security adviser Mike Waltz, said that the upcoming administration will explore strategies to increase penalties for private actors and adversarial nations responsible for cyberattacks against America.
Waltz’s remarks follow U.S. claims of a major Chinese cyber espionage operation, Salt Typhoon, which allegedly intercepted phone calls of top American political figures.
The White House confirmed that at least eight U.S. telecom and infrastructure firms were compromised, with significant amounts of American metadata stolen.
While Waltz did not outline specific actions against Salt Typhoon, he emphasized the need for a more aggressive stance, saying Washington has focused too much on defence and not enough on offensive measures.
“We must impose higher costs on those who steal our data and spy on us,” Waltz stated on CBS News’ Face the Nation. He also highlighted the potential role of the U.S. tech industry in both strengthening defences and making adversaries more vulnerable.
Chinese officials have denied the allegations, labelling them as disinformation and reaffirming Beijing’s opposition to cyberattacks and theft.
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