China Hackers Allegedly Breach U.S. Congressional Staff Email Systems in Major Cyber-Espionage Sweep
China has reportedly hacked email systems used by staff working on powerful U.S. House of Representatives committees, raising fresh national security concerns about legislative cybersecurity.
According to a Financial Times report, a Chinese state-aligned hacking group known as Salt Typhoon infiltrated the email platforms used by aides on the House China committee and panels overseeing foreign affairs, intelligence, and armed services.
The report says the intrusions were discovered in December 2025, but it remains unclear whether the attackers accessed lawmakers’ personal accounts or only staff systems.
Salt Typhoon is widely believed to operate under China’s Ministry of State Security and has been tied to other high-profile incursions into U.S. telecommunications and infrastructure. U.S. cybersecurity officials have not publicly detailed the scope of the breach, and neither the FBI nor the White House has issued an official comment confirming or denying specifics.
Meanwhile, China has formally denied involvement, with its foreign ministry calling the hacking allegations “politically motivated disinformation.”
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“This is disinformation being spread for political purposes,” said a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson at a press briefing.
If confirmed, the breach would mark a significant escalation in foreign cyber-espionage targeting the U.S. legislative branch and highlight ongoing vulnerabilities in congressional IT systems.
U.S. lawmakers have previously warned about persistent attempts by foreign adversaries to penetrate government networks, particularly those linked to geopolitical and defense policy.
Cybersecurity teams in Congress are expected to investigate and brief lawmakers on the breach in the coming days.
The report could prompt fresh calls for enhanced defenses and possible sanctions tied to state-sponsored cyberattacks.
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