U.S. officials are urging telecommunication companies to boost network security following a Chinese hacking operation that gave officials in Beijing access to the private texts and phone conversations of Americans.

A top White House official says at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign

A White House official says the group has targeted dozens of countries and confirms that none of the affected firms 'have fully removed the Chinese actors from these networks.'