All NewsEducationTV
Equities & FundsCrypto & Digital AssetsAI & TechnologyBusiness & CorporateUS Politics & PolicyGeopolitics & Global RiskMacro, Rates & FXCommodities & EnergyEuropean Politics & MarketsAsia-PacificReal Estate & Property
All NewsHome
← Back to AI & Technology

T-Mobile cut cable to eject Chinese hackers from network

Created at 19 Aug · 6:06 PM1 source↑ Market-relevant
IN SHORT

T-Mobile cybersecurity staff physically cut a cable to expel Chinese government-backed hackers from its network in 2024. The hackers, identified as Salt Typhoon, targeted hundreds of telecom and tech companies to steal customer data and information on U.S. officials.

Key Numbers

2024year of T-Mobile network intrusion

Who's Involved

T-Mobile
U.S. phone provider that expelled Chinese hackers
Salt Typhoon
Chinese government-backed hacking group
Jeff Simon
T-Mobile cybersecurity chief
T-Mobile cut cable to eject Chinese hackers from network

↳ Why This Matters

The incident highlights the persistent threat of state-sponsored cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure and sensitive data, demonstrating the extreme measures companies may take to protect their networks.

Key facts

  • T-Mobile expelled Chinese hackers from its network in 2024 by physically cutting a cable.
  • The hacking group, Salt Typhoon, is backed by the Chinese government.
  • The campaign targeted hundreds of phone companies, internet giants, and datacenter providers.
  • The goal was to collect phone records and information on senior U.S. officials.
  • T-Mobile's cybersecurity team identified the breach after months of searching for suspicious activity.

T-Mobile cybersecurity staff physically disconnected a compromised system by cutting its cable to expel Chinese government-backed hackers in 2024. The hackers, identified as Salt Typhoon, were part of a broader campaign that affected hundreds of telecom and tech companies across the U.S. with the aim of stealing customer data and information on senior government officials, including presidential candidates.

T-Mobile managed to avoid a widespread breach by detecting the intrusion early. After months of searching for suspicious activity, the company's cyber team identified unusual behavior originating from a system connected to another, unnamed telecom company's router. T-Mobile's cybersecurity chief, Jeff Simon, along with three colleagues, drove to a data center in Bellevue, Washington, located the compromised system, and severed its connection to the outside world using scissors.

Other companies targeted in the same campaign included AT&T, Verizon, Viasat, Charter, and Windstream.

Frequently asked questions

The attacks were carried out by a Chinese government-backed hacking group known as Salt Typhoon.

The hackers aimed to collect phone records and information about senior U.S. government officials, including presidential candidates.

T-Mobile's cybersecurity team identified the compromised system and physically cut the cable connecting it to the internet.

What Happens Next

01T-Mobile may provide further details on the incident.

How It Developed

Chinese government-backed hackers, Salt Typhoon, targeted hundreds of telecom and tech companies.
T-Mobile identified unusual activity on a system connected to another telecom company's router.
T-Mobile's cybersecurity chief Jeff Simon and three others drove to a data center.
They found the compromised system and cut the cable connecting it to the outside world.

Sources

T1
T-Mobile ‘chopped a cable’ to expel Chinese hackers from its networkTechCrunch

Related Stories

China's LandSpace successfully lands reusable rocket booster
19 Aug · 6:46 PM
Nvidia H200 AI Chips Arrive in China in Small Quantities
19 Aug · 2:49 AM
CareCloud confirms 3.7M patients' medical records stolen in data breach
19 Aug · 1:21 PM
OpenAI revokes access to cybersecurity AI program due to error
19 Aug · 7:06 PM
China's AI Component Powerhouse Faces Geopolitical Reckoning
19 Aug · 1:06 AM