In keeping with WSJ experiences, a China-related safety breach focused US eavesdropping methods

People observe the scenery near Chinese national flags displayed on the occasion of National Day celebrations on October 3, 2024 in Chongqing, China. Golden Week is a national holiday in China commemorating the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

Cheng Xin | Getty Images

The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday that U.S. broadband providers' networks were breached in a cyberattack linked to the Chinese government that targeted wiretapping requests.

The attack may have allowed China to obtain information about the American federal government's court-authorized network eavesdropping requests, the newspaper found.

It is possible that the hackers had access to networks that the United States uses to make legitimate requests for communications data for months or longer, the WSJ wrote, citing people familiar with the matter.

China rejects accusations from Western governments and technology companies that it is using hackers to obtain government information.

Government officials fear that these cyberattacks could be used to disrupt US systems in the event of a conflict between China and the US, the paper said.

The cyber breach carried out by Chinese hacker group Salt Typhoon poses serious risks to national security, the WSJ reported.

The FBI declined to respond to CNBC's request for comment.

Read the Wall Street Journal article here.