WEBVTT 00:01.300 --> 00:03.566 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% The White House said today that a broad Chinese 00:03.566 --> 00:07.600 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% hacking operation had infiltrated at least eight American telecommunication companies, 00:09.633 --> 00:12.933 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% and that none of them have managed to remove these Chinese hackers from their systems. 00:12.933 --> 00:15.633 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% Nick Schifrin has been following this all and joins us now. 00:15.633 --> 00:17.433 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% So, Nick, what did the White House say today? 00:17.433 --> 00:19.833 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% NICK SCHIFRIN: The White House gave new details on what is 00:19.833 --> 00:24.833 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% believed to be the largest hack on American telecommunications firms in U.S. history. 00:26.866 --> 00:30.600 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% As you said, Chinese hackers infiltrated at least eight communications firms in the 00:32.400 --> 00:35.466 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% United States and over the last one to two years -- quote -- "dozens" of 00:35.466 --> 00:40.433 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% telecommunications companies across Asia and Europe, and the hack was ongoing, 00:42.666 --> 00:45.633 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% Deputy National Security Adviser for Cyber and Emerging Technology Anne Neuberger said today. 00:48.933 --> 00:51.033 align:left position:10% line:65% size:80% ANNE NEUBERGER, U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser for Cyber and Emerging Technology: The affected companies are all responding. Right now, 00:51.033 --> 00:53.966 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% we do not believe any have fully removed the Chinese actors from these networks. 00:53.966 --> 00:58.933 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% So the risk of -- there is a risk of ongoing compromises to communications. 01:00.366 --> 01:03.600 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% Until U.S. companies address the cybersecurity gaps, 01:03.600 --> 01:07.000 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% the Chinese are likely to maintain their access. 01:07.000 --> 01:10.066 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% NICK SCHIFRIN: Today, intelligence officials were on the Hill briefing all 01:10.066 --> 01:15.066 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% 100 senators in a classified hearing about the Chinese hackers known as Salt Typhoon, 01:16.733 --> 01:20.100 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% and our Lisa Desjardins caught up with Texas Republican John Cornyn. 01:22.333 --> 01:25.333 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): The Chinese Communist Party has infiltrated the telecommunication 01:25.333 --> 01:29.900 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% systems here in the United States in a dramatic and unprecedented sort of way. 01:31.133 --> 01:32.933 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% And it's a subject of tremendous concern. 01:32.933 --> 01:35.733 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% I'm sure you're going to hear more about it, because it affects a lot 01:35.733 --> 01:40.200 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% of people and a lot of -- not just in this country, but around the world. 01:40.200 --> 01:43.733 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% NICK SCHIFRIN: Yesterday, Geoff, a senior FBI official admitted the bureau still did 01:43.733 --> 01:47.933 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% not know how deeply the Chinese hackers had penetrated, even though the bureau had been 01:47.933 --> 01:52.900 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% investigating since the spring, and it could take years to know the true scope of the hack. 01:54.400 --> 01:56.933 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% GEOFF BENNETT: Do we know, though, who has been targeted? 01:56.933 --> 02:01.100 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% NICK SCHIFRIN: Intelligence officials describe three baskets or three groups of targets, 02:01.100 --> 02:06.100 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% essentially, number one, a large number of users whose phone metadata was stolen, 02:08.100 --> 02:11.033 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% number two, a small group of individuals whose audio calls and text messages were 02:11.033 --> 02:14.933 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% specifically targeted and successfully intercepted, number three, the portal that 02:14.933 --> 02:19.666 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% law enforcement uses to submit court orders to telecommunications and Internet service providers. 02:19.666 --> 02:24.100 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% And I want to keep that list up for the moment. On the first group, whose metadata was stolen, 02:24.100 --> 02:27.466 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% a senior administration official said today it was -- quote -- "a large number 02:27.466 --> 02:31.066 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% of Americans," but would not provide the number, but it had a -- quote -- "regional 02:31.066 --> 02:34.800 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% focus," suggesting it was designed to find members of the second group, 02:34.800 --> 02:39.800 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% whose calls were intercepted and included senior members of the Trump and Harris campaigns. 02:39.800 --> 02:41.933 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% A former intelligence official described to me, 02:41.933 --> 02:46.933 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Geoff, that this is so hard because these are incredibly sophisticated state actors 02:49.133 --> 02:52.833 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% with limitless budget and limitless time. They are extraordinarily difficult to detect 02:52.833 --> 02:56.766 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% because they enter networks with stolen credentials, so as not to set off alarm 02:56.766 --> 03:01.033 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% bells. And if they detect any surveillance by the Americans, they simply stop moving. 03:01.033 --> 03:05.400 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% They can sit there and take as long as it takes, therefore avoiding detection. 03:05.400 --> 03:07.500 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% GEOFF BENNETT: And how has China responded to all of this? 03:07.500 --> 03:09.833 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% NICK SCHIFRIN: In a statement, Chinese Embassy spokesman Liu 03:09.833 --> 03:14.200 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% Pengyu told me that the U.S. claims were -- quote -- "disinformation." 03:14.200 --> 03:18.066 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% And he continued -- quote -- "China firmly opposes and combats all kinds 03:18.066 --> 03:22.266 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% of cyberattacks. The U.S. needs to stop its own cyberattacks against 03:22.266 --> 03:27.100 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% other countries and refrain from using cybersecurity to smear and slander China." 03:27.100 --> 03:31.500 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% The U.S., Geoff, is believed to conduct the same surveillance around the world, 03:31.500 --> 03:36.266 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% and I do use that term surveillance. U.S. officials use that term because this is 03:36.266 --> 03:40.600 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% not designed, as far as they can tell, to destroy any critical infrastructure. 03:40.600 --> 03:42.933 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% It is instead designed to conduct espionage, 03:42.933 --> 03:47.933 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% to collect information. No signs that any of this is being leaked online. As for solutions, 03:50.200 --> 03:53.600 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% Neuberger said today the only solution was to require companies to meet minimum cybersecurity 03:55.633 --> 04:00.500 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% guidelines. Right now, those guidelines are optional for these companies to meet. 04:00.500 --> 04:02.966 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% GEOFF BENNETT: All right, Nick Schifrin, thank you for this reporting. Appreciate it. 04:02.966 --> 04:03.533 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% NICK SCHIFRIN: Thank you. Thank you.