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A top US Intelligence official has confirmed that the agency is investigating a Chinese hack that targeted three major telecommunication companies in the United States.

Let’s bring you up to speed: Over the weekend, a Wall Street Journal report revealed that a hacking group known as “Salt Typhoon” infiltrated the networks of three major US broadband providers, including Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen Technologies. The hack, which is still being investigated, possibly resulted in the hackers gaining access to systems used for court-authorized wiretapping requests. The hackers also reportedly monitored a wide range of generic internet traffic in the US.  

What the US official is saying: Air Force Gen. Timothy Haugh, who leads the National Security Agency (NSA), confirmed to reporters that an investigation is underway. He stated, “I think it’s premature for us to talk about this specific case. We’re really at an initial stage.” General Haugh also mentioned that attempts by China or state-sponsored actors to infiltrate critical infrastructure in the United States are not new. He added, “I think what we see broadly from a PRC threat perspective is they’re going to be very aggressive at critical infrastructure collection operations and targeting our critical infrastructure.”

A pattern: This development comes as US officials, including the FBI and top Pentagon leaders, have repeatedly warned that Chinese hacking groups are attempting to penetrate critical US infrastructure, such as power grids, water treatment facilities, and transportation networks. These are believed to be part of a broader Chinese strategy to preposition themselves within critical systems, enabling them to launch crippling attacks in the event of a conflict with the US.