Legislative Staff as Cyber‑Espionage Targets

State intelligence services are now targeting the email and comms accounts used by congressional committee staffers (not just principals) to gain early policy insight and operational leverage. The December detections tied to Salt Typhoon show staff systems for China, foreign affairs, intelligence and armed services committees were accessed, creating a persistent vulnerability vector for sensitive policy deliberations. — If adversaries routinely compromise staff communications, democratic oversight, classified workflows and policy formation are directly threatened, requiring new counterintelligence rules, mandatory encryption, vendor audits, and congressional operational reforms.