China-linked hackers secretly targeted the phones of senior UK government officials for years, prompting fresh national security concerns amid ongoing diplomatic engagement with Beijing.
China hacked the mobile phones of senior Downing Street officials for several years, exposing private communications to Beijing, The Telegraph reported. State-backed hackers targeted aides to Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak between 2021 and 2024, with one source saying the breach went “right into the heart of Downing Street”.
US intelligence sources said the operation, known as Salt Typhoon, may still be active, raising concerns current officials were also exposed. MI5 issued an espionage alert to Parliament last year, while critics accused the Government of prioritising trade ties with China over national security. Beijing has dismissed the allegations as “baseless” and “lacking evidence”.