Jan 07, 2024 23:09:00

Investigators determine that a Chinese balloon that crossed the United States was using an American ISP to communicate with its own country

Regarding the Chinese unmanned balloon that was

shot down by an F-22 while flying over the United States on February 2, 2023, it was discovered that the aircraft was communicating using an American Internet Service Provider (ISP). .

US intelligence officials determined the Chinese spy balloon used a US internet provider to communicate
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/us-intelligence-officials-determined-chinese-spy-balloon-used-us-inter-rcna131150

According to an evaluation report prepared by the FBI's forensics team, the balloon connected to an ISP based in the United States and exchanged information with China. Officials said the connection allowed the balloon to transmit in bursts, or collect high-bandwidth data over short periods of time. Authorities concluded that ``the country's communications service was used for the reconnaissance balloon.''

According to NBC News, which independently obtained the evaluation report, the name of the ISP has been determined, but it was kept private at NBC's discretion to protect the identity of the information source. ISPs contacted by NBC denied that the balloons used their networks.

China has long called for the balloon's arrival to be dismissed as an 'accident,' and has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the United States' use of force to shoot down a civilian balloon. According to China, the balloon was for research purposes and lacked maneuverability, and was unintentionally stranded in the United States due to westerly winds.

The US government, on the other hand, regards the balloon's arrival as a matter of serious concern, and explains that the balloon was shot down because its flight path included areas related to military secrets. According to NBC, the Biden administration secretly sought a court order while the balloon was still in flight to quickly determine what kind of communications the balloon was communicating.

Regarding the FBI's determination that the balloons used American ISPs, multiple former government officials said, ``Chinese intelligence authorities have secretly used private ISPs in various countries in the past, often as backup communication networks. He speculated that an American ISP was used as a backup line this time as well.