2024 US Election: Chinese hackers allegedly targeted Trump and JD Vance’s phone data, report says

Phone data associated with former US President Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Senator J.D. Vancewas reportedly targeted by Chinese hackers in a cyberespionage operation as part of their intelligence-gathering efforts, a U.S. newspaper reported Friday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Investigators are evaluating whether any communications data was accessed or monitored through a “sophisticated telecommunications systems breach,” according to sources who spoke anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the national security case, the New York Times reported.

Sources involved in the investigation, who spoke anonymously because of the sensitivity of the case, confirmed to the newspaper that the Trump campaign team was notified of the hack earlier this week.

It appears that the breach also targeted prominent figures of the Democratic Party. Staff from the Vice President Kamala HarrisThe targets reportedly included his campaign team and key Capitol Hill figures, including New York Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. These revelations highlight the scale of the cyberattack, which Western cybersecurity experts attribute to a hacking group they call “Salt Typhoon.”

The ongoing investigation aims to determine whether hackers are still lurking on the Verizon network, gathering intelligence or are ready for further exploitation, the report said.

The statement came in the closing stages of the campaign, when Trump’s team was also targeted by an Iranian hacker group accused of breaching Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump’s campaign emails, according to Reuters news agency. Hackers allegedly affiliated with Iran’s Basij paramilitary force shared the emails with a Democratic political operative, who published them on the PAC’s website, American Muckrakers, and distributed them to independent journalists. This material includes Trump’s in-campaign discussions with advisers on various election issues, the report notes.

The hacking group known as Mint Sandstorm, or APT42, reportedly took over the accounts of multiple Trump campaign employees between May and June. The U.S. Department of Justice charged three Iranian hackers in the breach and warned that they still posed a threat to campaign staff. If convicted, hackers could face jail time and fines. The report stated that this leak highlights that Iran’s efforts to interfere in the US elections continue despite Homeland Security’s latest accusations and warnings. It was stated that attempts to reach the accused hackers were unsuccessful.

FBI and CISA investigating China’s cyber activities

The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a joint statement on October 25 confirming an ongoing investigation into unauthorized access to U.S. telecommunications infrastructure by actors affiliated with the People’s Republic of China.

The statement included the following statements: The US Government is investigating 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 industry, the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) immediately notified affected companies, provided technical assistance, and quickly shared information to assist other potential victims. The investigation is ongoing and we encourage any organization that believes they may be a victim to contact their local FBI field office or CISA. Agencies across the U.S. Government are collaborating to aggressively mitigate this threat and are coordinating with our industry partners to strengthen cyber defenses across the commercial communications sector.