A Chinese hacking group has reportedly breached email systems used by staff members working for some of the most influential committees in the United States House of Representatives. According to a report by the Financial Times, the cyber intrusion affected staffers linked to committees dealing with sensitive national and foreign policy matters.

The hacking group is known by the nickname “Salt Typhoon.” Sources familiar with the matter told the Financial Times that the group managed to access email systems used by staff members on the House China Committee. Additionally, aides working on committees related to foreign affairs, intelligence, and the armed services were reportedly targeted.

However, the report did not name any specific individuals whose email accounts were compromised. It also remained unclear whether the hackers were able to access the personal email accounts of elected lawmakers themselves.

The intrusions were reportedly detected in December, according to a person familiar with the cyber campaign. That source stated that investigators are still unsure whether lawmakers’ emails were accessed during the breach.

Reacting to the allegations, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington strongly denied the claims. Chinese Embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu condemned what he described as “unfounded speculation and accusations.” Beijing has repeatedly rejected claims that it is behind cyber-espionage activities targeting the United States.

Meanwhile, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) declined to comment on the report. The White House, along with the offices of the four House committees said to have been affected, also did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

US lawmakers and their staff members, particularly those involved in overseeing the country’s vast military and intelligence agencies, have long been considered major targets for cyber-espionage. Over the years, there have been multiple reports of both successful and attempted cyber intrusions aimed at US government officials.

In November, the Senate Sergeant at Arms informed several congressional offices about a “cyber incident.” In that case, hackers may have accessed communications between the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and certain Senate offices. The CBO is a non-partisan agency that provides important financial research and analysis to US lawmakers.

Earlier incidents also highlight the ongoing threat. In 2023, The Washington Post reported that two senior US lawmakers were among the targets of a hacking operation linked to Vietnam.

The Salt Typhoon group, in particular, has caused serious concern within the US intelligence community over the years. The hackers are alleged to be working on behalf of Chinese intelligence agencies, though China has consistently denied these claims.

The group has been accused of collecting large amounts of data from Americans’ telephone communications. According to previous reports, this included intercepting conversations involving prominent US politicians and government officials.

Despite repeated accusations, Beijing has continued to deny any involvement in these alleged spying operations.

In early last year, the United States government imposed sanctions on an alleged hacker named Yin Kecheng. Along with him, a cybersecurity firm called Sichuan Juxinhe Network Technology was also sanctioned. US authorities accused both of being involved in activities linked to the Salt Typhoon hacking group.

The latest reported breach adds to growing concerns in Washington about the security of government communication systems and the ongoing threat posed by foreign cyber-espionage campaigns. However, officials have so far not released further details about the scale of the intrusion or the potential damage caused.