The Chinese spy balloon that caused a stir after it flew over the United States earlier this year reportedly used an American internet service provider to communicate, according to US intelligence officials. The balloon is said to have connected to a US-based company, allowing it to send and receive messages primarily related to its navigation. The connection also enabled it to send high-bandwidth bursts of data over short periods of time.
The controversial device caught the attention of the Biden administration, which sought a secretive court order from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to collect intelligence on the balloon while it was over US soil, as well as the communication it received from China. How the court ruled has not yet been revealed.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the court order would have given American intelligence agencies the ability to monitor the balloon’s activities while in the US, including all communications sent via the American internet service provider.
While the balloon’s use of the US-based company was confirmed by multiple current and former US officials, the company has denied any involvement with the device. The company claimed that its own investigation and discussions with US officials had concluded that the balloon did not use their network.
This revelation is the latest development in an ongoing saga surrounding the Chinese balloon, which sparked security concerns among US officials when it was first spotted flying over several states. It quickly became a subject of intense scrutiny, with fears that it could be used to gather critical intelligence on US military movements and infrastructure.
Although it remains unclear how much sensitive information the Chinese spy balloon was able to collect, the fact that it was able to communicate through an American internet service provider has only served to amplify concerns about Chinese espionage on US soil. The incident highlights the ongoing battle for technological supremacy between the two nations and the growing importance of intelligence gathering as a tool in this fight.
