The U.S., U.K., and a coalition of allied governments this week labeled the Chinese state‑sponsored “Salt Typhoon” campaign a national defense crisis, issuing a joint technical advisory on August 27, 2025 that details a years‑long infiltration of global telecommunications and critical infrastructure spanning more than 80 countries and over 200 victim organizations since at least 2021, with U.S. agencies emphasizing hardening guidance for network defenders alongside the alert. The U.K.’s National Cyber Security Centre simultaneously exposed three China‑based technology firms—Sichuan Juxinhe Network Technology Co Ltd, Beijing Huanyu Tianqiong Information Technology Co, and Sichuan Zhixin Ruijie Network Technology Co Ltd—as enablers within a commercial cyber ecosystem tied to Chinese intelligence, noting the campaign’s reliance on exploiting known, patchable vulnerabilities rather than zero‑days and urging proactive threat hunting and edge‑device security. Reports indicate stealthy persistence in telecom networks, including router and edge device compromises linked to broader espionage across government, transportation, lodging, and military sectors, with U.S. officials describing the activity as transforming communications infrastructure into a contested security domain and Reuters noting prior U.S. sanctions on one named firm. Security agencies advised rapid patching, enhanced monitoring for anomalous activity, and international coordination, as media accounts highlighted impacts on major carriers and the risk to sensitive communications data amid rising geopolitical tensions.