Chinese state media claims U.S. NSA infiltrated country's telecommunications networks

A U.S. quality bureau gained entree to China's telecommunications web aft hacking a university, Chinese authorities media claimed Thursday.

The U.S. National Security Agency utilized phishing — a hacking method wherever a malicious nexus is included successful an email — to summation entree to the authorities funded Northwestern Polytechnical University, the Global Times alleged, citing an unnamed source.

American hackers stole "core exertion information including cardinal web instrumentality configuration, web absorption data, and halfway operational data," and different files, according to the Global Times.

As portion of the NSA's hack, the bureau infiltrated Chinese telecommunications operators truthful that the U.S. could "control the country's infrastructure," the Global Times alleged.

The NSA was not instantly disposable for remark erstwhile contacted by CNBC. The hack has not been verified by CNBC.

The Global Times, citing its unnamed source, reported that much details astir the onslaught connected Northwestern Polytechnical University volition beryllium released soon.

For respective years, China has accused the U.S. of cyberattacks but has not been specific. However, successful the past fewer weeks, Beijing has been much vocal successful attributing peculiar attacks to the U.S., successful a ramping up of tensions betwixt the 2 nations successful the cyber sphere.

Conversely, Washington and American cybersecurity firms, person attributed circumstantial attacks to China implicit the past fewer years.

The alleged onslaught connected the Northwestern Polytechnical University was archetypal disclosed by China's National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center earlier this month. The bureau besides accused the U.S. of engaging successful "tens of thousands" of cyberattacks connected Chinese targets.

For its part, the U.S. has accused China of monolithic hacking operations. Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray said successful February that China's cyberattacks person go "more brazen, much damaging, than ever before."

Wray accused China of trying to bargain U.S. accusation and technology.