Chinese spy balloons ‘used a U.S. internet provider’ – as well as American hardware

Spy balloon
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Chinese spy balloons used connectivity supplied by an American internet service provider, according to a new report. NBC News cites two current and one former U.S. official, who claim to have had eyes on an intelligence report asserting that the flying spy devices connected to a U.S. company for data transmission services.

If the source report is correct, it demonstrates the bravado of the spy balloon designers. As well as using U.S. technologies within the high-altitude balloons, the Chinese seem to have simply organized a data contract with a U.S. ISP for sending all the spy-in-the-sky data home.

The data transmissions were characterized as short but high-bandwidth burst transmissions. According to the intelligence assessment, data transferred between the balloon and China primarily consisted of navigation information. The most important question regarding the spy balloon story hence becomes – what else was contained in the data bursts sent to China? Sadly, we aren’t in a position to know, as yet. 

NBC says the Biden administration sought a court order for electronic surveillance of the balloons. However, we don’t know if the order was successful, never mind any of its investigative outcomes. Moreover, the American internet service provider fingered by NBC News has reportedly denied that the Chinese balloon used its network.

The spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, Liu Pengyu, has claimed that the balloon(s) “unintentionally drifted into the U.S. because of the westerlies and its limited self-steering capability.” Thus, it would be telling if it could be confirmed that Chinese engineers had organized U.S. internet service. NBC News declined to reveal the American ISP to protect the identity of its sources.

Balloons previously confirmed to be designed for spying

China’s spy balloons grabbed a lot of headlines in early 2023, but investigations revealed that they had been floating above the states for months previously without precipitating any headlines.

Downed balloons were found to contain components such as a satellite-like device, solar panels for power, a propeller, and devices to collect photos, videos, and radar data. Other specialized Chinese sensors and equipment carried by the balloons led to a preliminary U.S. probe concluding that the Chinese balloons were indeed created for spying.

Our last report on these Chinese devices noted that the balloon downed near South Carolina never managed to transmit any information to China during its eight days over the U.S. Whether the lack of transmission was a fault with the hardware, software, jamming by U.S. authorities, or an ISP issue, it has not been revealed.

Mark Tyson
News Editor

Mark Tyson is a news editor at Tom's Hardware. He enjoys covering the full breadth of PC tech; from business and semiconductor design to products approaching the edge of reason.

  • COLGeek
    Assuming this it true, makes perfect sense. Nothing shocking if this is indeed what happened and how.

    Blend in, just become part of the flow of the 'net. Smart move.
    Reply
  • usertests
    I can now exclusively confirm that it was Comcast's Xfinity Wi-Fi public hotspots. Also known as everyone's *****.

    https://nosuchstudio.medium.com/how-to-trick-xfinity-into-giving-you-unlimited-free-internet-151154b46c76https://www.theregister.com/2023/12/19/comcast_xfinity_hacked/
    Reply
  • USAFRet
    usertests said:
    I can now exclusively confirm that it was Comcast's Xfinity Wi-Fi public hotspots. Also known as everyone's *****.

    https://nosuchstudio.medium.com/how-to-trick-xfinity-into-giving-you-unlimited-free-internet-151154b46c76https://www.theregister.com/2023/12/19/comcast_xfinity_hacked/
    That has exactly zero to do with what may or may not have happened.
    Reply
  • bit_user
    has claimed that the balloon(s) “unintentionally drifted into the U.S. because of the westerlies and its limited self-steering capability.” Thus, it would be telling if it could be confirmed that Chinese engineers had organized U.S. internet service.
    Not if it was Starlink, right? That's US-based, but has global reach. That's exactly the sort of ISP you'd want, for balloons designed to circumnavigate the globe, too.

    but investigations revealed that they had been floating above the states for months previously without precipitating any headlines.
    Not transcontinental flights, right? The only news I've heard of prior overflights were just crossing corners of our airspace for not much more than a day. Have additional overflights been discovered?
    Reply
  • bit_user
    usertests said:
    Comcast's Xfinity Wi-Fi public hotspots
    This is exactly why I'd never use their wi fi routers. I don't want any randos on my home network, using a chunk of my modem's raw bandwidth, even if the router tries to segregate them and the bandwidth isn't attributed to me, personally.
    Reply
  • Notton
    Okay, this is simple to debunk.
    Weather balloons typically float at what altitude?
    and how much range do you think your wi-fi router has? Vertically and through your roof.

    The answers are:
    60,000~80,000ft altitude
    300ft horizontal range with no obstacles, and even worse vertically.

    Not even a 4G tower can reach 60,000ft, as they max out at 10miles=52,800ft
    Reply
  • atomicWAR
    bit_user said:
    This is exactly why I'd never use their wi fi routers. I don't want any randos on my home network, using a chunk of my modem's raw bandwidth, even if the router tries to segregate them and the bandwidth isn't attributed to me, personally.
    Same....I have my 'modem w/ router' in bridge mode. I remember ATT/Xfinity getting their undies in a bunch over me converting it to such...threatening that I'd never be able to use their wifi at home after 15 days (apparently it has a timed lock) nor could it function as a hot-spot for others.

    They were so upset about it they called to tell me this after I converted it. First I responded with that was the point and I run my own mesh network so I didn't need their over priced 'bits' they wanted to charge me to use theirs. And I don't touch hot-spots, unless I created it with my phone as I don't trust them. Plus like you I didn't want them to use me as a hot-spot; I live in the country so if someone needs wifi they can knock on my door, ask for access and I'll set up my guest login (disabled by default by me) which has actually happened. Usually by people I have hired for various odd jobs so they can access their square/CC charging or the web while on lunch break. Regardless I do not trust my ISP...did I mention I run a VPN too most times?
    Reply
  • bit_user
    atomicWAR said:
    Same....I have my 'modem w/ router' in bridge mode. I remember Comcast getting their undies in a bunch over me converting it to such...
    Wait, so did you rent theirs or buy your own?

    I have used my own cable modem since the mid 2000's. I also don't like "combo" modems with built-in wifi - I prefer to keep them separate, as that enables a clean break between me and the cable company and lets me buy each one on their individual merits.

    I actually have a DOCSIS 3.0 modem that I bought when I thought my existing modem (now 10 years old) was getting flaky. I have yet to set it up, because the issue turned out to be with my router (which I don't want to replace, just yet).

    One thing I always try to check, in the reviews, is that a cable modem or wifi router doesn't get too hot. That means it's burning lots of power (aside from the heat issue itself, which is a problem since they're both in an upstairs room that gets hot in the summer). It's the stuff you leave on 24/7 where you really want to mind the energy efficiency. My electricity is relatively expensive.
    Reply
  • atomicWAR
    bit_user said:
    Wait, so did you rent theirs or buy your own?
    Sadly renting with intent to buy my own soon. Bought a house, moving costs, budget...life lol.
    Reply
  • Tanakoi
    Notton said:
    Okay, this is simple to debunk.
    Not even a 4G tower can reach 60,000ft, as they max out at 10miles=52,800ft
    Oops! With a directional antenna you can expand that range astronomically. I know someone who, using nothing but off-the-shelf Wi-Fi routers -- limited supposedly to about 100 meters -- expands the range to over 4 kilometers, simply by replacing omni antenna with ultradirectional ones. I think he even hit 10km once, though he did say that was spotty and subject to bad weather.

    China obviously could use a directional only on the balloon's end ... but they can also transmit at much higher power than a normal router or cell phone.
    Reply