Chinese hackers target campaign phones of Trump, Vance and Harris
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating claims that Chinese hackers targeted the mobile phones of top United States political figures. According to The New York Times, the cyberattacks may have compromised the devices of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance. The hackers reportedly compromised Verizon's network, impacting people associated with both the Trump-Vance and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris's campaigns.
FBI and CISA confirm investigation into Chinese cyberattacks
The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have confirmed these hacking allegations. In a joint statement, they announced an investigation into "unauthorized access to commercial telecommunications infrastructure by actors affiliated with the People's Republic of China." The agencies stressed that "agencies across the US government are collaborating to aggressively mitigate this threat" and are coordinating with industry partners to strengthen cybersecurity defenses.
Verizon acknowledges sophisticated hacking attempt
Verizon has also acknowledged a sophisticated hacking attempt targeting US telecommunications providers for intelligence gathering. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington said they were unaware of specifics but reiterated China's stance against cyberattacks. "The presidential elections are the United States' domestic affairs. China has no intention and will not interfere in the US election. We hope that the US side will not make accusations against China in the election," the spokesperson said.
Chinese hacking group 'Salt Typhoon' suspected
Western cybersecurity experts suspect a Chinese group called "Salt Typhoon" behind the hacking. Just recently, The Wall Street Journal reported Chinese hackers accessing US broadband networks, possibly compromising law enforcement wiretapping systems. FBI Director Chris Wray had previously warned Congress about Chinese hacking operations, including disrupting a botnet targeting US infrastructure.
