Overview
- People cited by the Financial Times said email systems used by staff supporting the House China, Foreign Affairs, Intelligence, and Armed Services committees were accessed.
- Reuters said it could not independently verify the report, and the White House provided no immediate comment.
- Beijing denied involvement in the alleged intrusions, reflecting its past responses to U.S. hacking accusations.
- U.S. officials have warned that Salt Typhoon activity may extend beyond espionage into pre-positioning that could be leveraged to disrupt critical infrastructure during a crisis.
- Targeting staff rather than lawmakers is noteworthy because policy work and internal strategy often flow through aides, which could spur renewed calls in Washington for stronger cyber defenses.