Chinese hackers are believed to have targeted the cell phones of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, as part of a broader espionage effort currently under investigation by the U.S. government, according to sources familiar with the situation.
According to ABC News, this week, the Trump/Vance campaign was notified that both Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance are believed to be among several individuals whose phone numbers have been targeted and possibly compromised by hackers, according to sources.
The exact nature of the breach remains unclear, including what specific access, if any, the hackers were able to achieve regarding their devices. Investigators are diligently working to determine the details of the situation, including the potential implications for the campaign and the individuals involved. This incident raises further concerns about the vulnerability of political figures to cyber threats, particularly during a critical election period.
Meanwhile, in a statement, the FBI confirmed that the U.S. government is “investigating the unauthorized access to commercial telecommunications infrastructure by actors affiliated with the People’s Republic of China.”
“After the FBI identified specific malicious activity targeting the sector, the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) immediately notified affected companies, rendered technical assistance, and rapidly shared information to assist other potential victims. The investigation is ongoing, and we encourage any organization that believes it might be a victim to engage its local FBI field office or CISA,” the statement read.
News of the breach follows incidents earlier this summer in which senior officials from the former president’s campaign were targeted by Iranian hackers, reported The New York Times. Additionally, Trump’s security measures were heightened due to threats against his life attributed to Iran.
Major US broadband and internet companies, including AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen, are reportedly being targeted by hackers, according to CNN. Sources familiar with the situation have expressed concern over the hackers’ sophistication, persistence, and ability to infiltrate computer networks. This particular Chinese hacking group is recognized in the cybersecurity field as Salt Typhoon.
US officials have updated members of the House and Senate intelligence committees regarding the ongoing Chinese hacking efforts.
Last month, the FBI revealed that some of the materials hacked from Trump’s campaign had been forwarded to personal email accounts of staffers from President Joe Biden’s previous campaign. This pattern of cyberattacks underscores the ongoing vulnerabilities faced by political campaigns and the potential for sensitive information to be exploited.
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