China Hacked Downing Street Phones for Years, Spying on Sunak, Johnson Aides: Report

• Chinese state-backed hackers targeted mobile phones of senior Downing Street officials and aides to former PMs Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak from 2021-2024.
• The espionage operation, known as Salt Typhoon, penetrated "deep into the heart of the British government," though it's unclear if PMs' phones were compromised.
• US intelligence confirmed Salt Typhoon is ongoing, raising concerns for current PM Keir Starmer and his staff ahead of his China visit.
• The breach allowed potential access to text messages, call data, and metadata, including who officials communicated with and their locations.
• This is part of a broader global espionage campaign by Beijing targeting multiple countries, including the US and Five Eyes alliance members.

Why It Matters: A report reveals China's extensive hacking of Downing Street phones, raising major security concerns for the UK government.