Red Handed: China’s Silent Invasion Reaches Deep Into U.S. Power

Paul Riverbank, 12/1/2025China’s stealthy cyberattacks infiltrate U.S. life—threatening privacy, finances, and national security.

What used to look like isolated break-ins or the work of quick-moving hackers now appears organized, almost methodical. The U.S. security community isn’t mincing words these days. Last autumn, notices from agencies like the NSA and FBI didn’t just warn of broad attacks on government agencies. Instead, they painted a bleaker picture: telecom links, travel records, hotel bookings — all fair game for hackers, specifically those tied to Chinese intelligence.

Ask Pete Nicoletti, who oversees security for Check Point, and you get a sense of genuine exasperation. Salt Typhoon — one such group tied to Beijing — reportedly had access not just for days but for years. “Your grandmother calling about groceries, the president working on classified matters,” Nicoletti told Fox News, “they could listen in on anyone.” That level of unchecked surveillance, he said, is rare and deeply unnerving.

It’s easy to talk about “data” as if it’s just numbers and files lost somewhere in the ether. But every email, call, or record is, in the end, a glimpse into someone’s life or decisions. And here’s the kicker: a former top FBI investigator thinks the fallout isn’t limited to those with official badges. “Every American,” he claimed, is probably tangled up in the web, whether through swiped phone logs or purloined texts.

This story, frustratingly, isn’t slowing down. Intelligence boss Andrew Shearer, as he prepared to step aside, offered a bleak sort of exit interview: the threats, he said, go beyond hacking. Sabotage, subterfuge, even the shadowy possibility of targeted violence — it’s all “part of the kit,” Shearer argued, and China seems comfortable working with criminal networks to get what they want.

What exactly are they after? The motives range from the narrow — say, intel on a handful of officials — to the extremely broad. Nicoletti’s team found evidence that both current and ex-presidents were individually targeted. And given that these digital doors stayed open for half a decade, the room for abuse is staggering. Some analysts now suspect we’re in the early days of “AI-driven espionage,” where new algorithms help bad actors comb through data at impossible speeds, picking out key faces and facts.

Even for a country the size of China, there aren’t enough ears to eavesdrop on millions of calls in real time. But it hardly matters. Surveillance isn’t always about volume; it’s about hitting the jackpot at the right moment. The idea that, say, the Vice President or a former president might be listened in on — that’s where things get truly unsettling.

The financial fallout sometimes escapes the headlines, though it stings no less. This year alone, U.S. banks lost over $262 million to relatively unsophisticated attacks, security officials report. Phishing — often involving someone posing as a bank manager or IT rep — is still the go-to scam. As basic as these tactics are, the pain they inflict is real. The FBI’s advice is basic, but worth repeating: Don’t trust the name on your caller ID, hang up if you have doubts, and always confirm the number yourself.

Here’s the hard truth: this isn’t just a technical or governmental problem anymore. These intrusions slip quietly into daily life, shaping what we buy, how we bank, even what news we hear first. As Americans connect more of their daily routines to the internet — sometimes thoughtlessly — every link becomes a possible point of entry.

Consider the long-term perspective from Beijing. China’s leaders, shaped by centuries of history and turbulence, think far beyond the next electoral cycle. With internal pressures at home, their willingness to take digital risks may only increase. Though the U.S. remains strong, the threat isn’t coming over the horizon with banners and troops. It’s already inside the walls, often disguised as a friendly email or an ordinary phone call.

Ultimately, vigilance has become less a virtue and more a daily necessity. The line between security and vulnerability grows thinner each year, and oversights — however small — may echo well beyond individual households. If there’s a lesson here, it’s that the most significant battles may not play out in public, but in the hidden corners of our networks, watched over by eyes we’ll never see.

It started somewhere quiet — maybe in an average kitchen, a phone left on the counter, or a forgotten email account slowly filling up with new messages. But this isn’t fiction. In kitchens, offices, and yes, even the highest rooms of government, a slow, careful theft has been unfolding. Federal officials and ordinary Americans now face a mounting, unseen threat: relentless digital incursions traced, time and again, back to China.What used to look like isolated break-ins or the work of quick-moving hackers now appears organized, almost methodical. The U.S. security community isn’t mincing words these days. Last autumn, notices from agencies like the NSA and FBI didn’t just warn of broad attacks on government agencies. Instead, they painted a bleaker picture: telecom links, travel records, hotel bookings — all fair game for hackers, specifically those tied to Chinese intelligence.Ask Pete Nicoletti, who oversees security for Check Point, and you get a sense of genuine exasperation. Salt Typhoon — one such group tied to Beijing — reportedly had access not just for days but for years. “Your grandmother calling about groceries, the president working on classified matters,” Nicoletti told Fox News, “they could listen in on anyone.” That level of unchecked surveillance, he said, is rare and deeply unnerving.It’s easy to talk about “data” as if it’s just numbers and files lost somewhere in the ether. But every email, call, or record is, in the end, a glimpse into someone’s life or decisions. And here’s the kicker: a former top FBI investigator thinks the fallout isn’t limited to those with official badges. “Every American,” he claimed, is probably tangled up in the web, whether through swiped phone logs or purloined texts.This story, frustratingly, isn’t slowing down. Intelligence boss Andrew Shearer, as he prepared to step aside, offered a bleak sort of exit interview: the threats, he said, go beyond hacking. Sabotage, subterfuge, even the shadowy possibility of targeted violence — it’s all “part of the kit,” Shearer argued, and China seems comfortable working with criminal networks to get what they want.What exactly are they after? The motives range from the narrow — say, intel on a handful of officials — to the extremely broad. Nicoletti’s team found evidence that both current and ex-presidents were individually targeted. And given that these digital doors stayed open for half a decade, the room for abuse is staggering. Some analysts now suspect we’re in the early days of “AI-driven espionage,” where new algorithms help bad actors comb through data at impossible speeds, picking out key faces and facts.Even for a country the size of China, there aren’t enough ears to eavesdrop on millions of calls in real time. But it hardly matters. Surveillance isn’t always about volume; it’s about hitting the jackpot at the right moment. The idea that, say, the Vice President or a former president might be listened in on — that’s where things get truly unsettling.The financial fallout sometimes escapes the headlines, though it stings no less. This year alone, U.S. banks lost over $262 million to relatively unsophisticated attacks, security officials report. Phishing — often involving someone posing as a bank manager or IT rep — is still the go-to scam. As basic as these tactics are, the pain they inflict is real. The FBI’s advice is basic, but worth repeating: Don’t trust the name on your caller ID, hang up if you have doubts, and always confirm the number yourself.Here’s the hard truth: this isn’t just a technical or governmental problem anymore. These intrusions slip quietly into daily life, shaping what we buy, how we bank, even what news we hear first. As Americans connect more of their daily routines to the internet — sometimes thoughtlessly — every link becomes a possible point of entry.Consider the long-term perspective from Beijing. China’s leaders, shaped by centuries of history and turbulence, think far beyond the next electoral cycle. With internal pressures at home, their willingness to take digital risks may only increase. Though the U.S. remains strong, the threat isn’t coming over the horizon with banners and troops. It’s already inside the walls, often disguised as a friendly email or an ordinary phone call.Ultimately, vigilance has become less a virtue and more a daily necessity. The line between security and vulnerability grows thinner each year, and oversights — however small — may echo well beyond individual households. If there’s a lesson here, it’s that the most significant battles may not play out in public, but in the hidden corners of our networks, watched over by eyes we’ll never see.