Adamski made the comments to researchers at the Cyberwarcon security conference in Arlington, Virginia. On Thursday, U.S. Senator Mark Warner told the Washington Post that a suspected China-linked hack on U.S. telecommunications firms was “the worst telecom hack in our nation’s history - by far.”

Leaders of the top telecommunications companies were summoned to the White House on Friday to discuss a security problem that has been roiling the government: how to expel Chinese hackers from the deepest corners of the nation’s communications networks.

Senator Mark Warner says booting 'Salt Typhoon' hackers could require physically replacing telecommunications equipment.