In a recent development, US intelligence has revealed that the controversial Chinese spy balloon that made headlines during its voyage across the United States earlier this year was utilizing an American service provider to communicate. The balloon had established a connection with a US network to facilitate both sending and receiving transmissions to China, according to sources cited by NBC News.

Operating under the guise of a weather monitoring device, the Chinese balloon used an undisclosed American service provider to transmit burst transmissions of data over short periods. Although the provider's name is being withheld to protect the identity of sources, it played a crucial role in enabling the balloon's communication capabilities.

Sources familiar with the matter disclosed that the Biden administration had sought a highly classified court order from the federal Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. This order was obtained to collect intelligence on the balloon while it was within US airspace, granting US intelligence agencies the authority to conduct surveillance and access the contents of the communications sent and received by the balloon from China.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) took extensive precautions to prevent any transmission of sensitive information while the balloon traversed the United States. US officials have reassured the public that measures were in place to ensure the balloon was unable to relay intelligence back to China during its time over US soil.

This revelation further fuels concerns over China's espionage activities and underscores the need for heightened vigilance in protecting national security interests. The utilization of an American service provider by the Chinese spy balloon introduces a complex dimension to this significant breach of trust and highlights the evolving methods employed by foreign entities in acquiring sensitive information.

As the investigation into the Chinese spy balloon continues, US authorities are expected to explore measures to bolster cybersecurity and enhance monitoring mechanisms to counter potential threats posed by similar covert operations in the future.