Biden Administration Retaliates Against China's 'Salt Typhoon' Hack

The Department of Commerce (DOC) began the process of banning a Chinese telecommunications company's cloud and internet businesses in the U.S., citing national security risks.

The Details: Last week, the DOC notified China Telecom Americas that its presence in U.S. networks and cloud services posed national security risks, teeing up a ban. The move is a response to Operation "Salt Typhoon," the major Chinese hacking campaign. Discovered in October, the infiltration campaign has allowed China extensive access to call and text data in the U.S.

For Context: In 2021, the administration of President Joe Biden banned China Telecom Americas' phone service and some of its internet services from operating in the U.S. The company maintained some presence in U.S. networks through cloud services and internet traffic routing, which this new action intends to address. The Biden administration has taken several other actions to combat China's attempts to hack and surveil inside the U.S., such as restricting semiconductor chip imports and swapping out Chinese-made cranes at construction sites.

How the Media Covered It: The Biden administration's new action against China Telecom Americas received sparse coverage from the left and center. While right-wing media has recently featured criticism of the Biden administration for not responding adequately to Salt Typhoon, AllSides could not find coverage from the right of this latest development. The New York Times (Lean Left bias) said the ban "would have more symbolic than financial impact."