US Election 2024: Chinese Hackers Allegedly Attacking Trump and JD Vance’s Phone Data, According to Report

Telephone records linked to former US president Donald Trump and his running mate, an Ohio senator JD Vancehe was reportedly the target of a cyberespionage operation reportedly organized by Chinese hackers as part of an intelligence-gathering effort, a US newspaper reported on Friday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

According to the sources, who spoke anonymously due to the sensitivity of the national security matter, investigators are assessing whether any communications data was accessed or monitored as a result of a “sophisticated breach of telecommunications systems,” the New York Times reported.

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

Prominent Democratic Party figures also appear to have been targeted in the breach. Vice President’s employees Kamala HarrisThe targets reportedly included prominent figures on Capitol Hill, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York. These reports underscore the scope of the cyberattack, which Western cybersecurity experts have attributed to a hacking group they call “Salt Typhoon.”

The ongoing investigation is aimed at determining whether hackers continue to lurk within Verizon’s network, gathering intelligence or preparing for further exploitation, the report said.

The disclosure occurred in the final stages of the campaign, during which Trump’s team also became a target of an Iranian group of hackers accused of compromising the campaign emails of the Republican candidate for US president, who managed to publish stolen materials, reports Reuters news agency. The hackers, allegedly linked to Iran’s Basij paramilitary force, shared the emails with a Democratic political operative, who published them on the website of his PAC, American Muckrakers, and distributed them to independent journalists. The report said the materials include internal Trump campaign discussions with advisers on various election-related topics.

The hacking group, known as Mint Sandstorm or APT42, reportedly compromised the accounts of multiple Trump campaign employees between May and June. The US Department of Justice has charged three Iranian hackers with the breach, warning that they still pose a threat to campaign staff. If convicted, hackers could face prison terms and fines. The report said the leak highlights Iran’s continued efforts to interfere in U.S. elections despite recent indictments and warnings from the Department of Homeland Security. It said attempts to contact the accused hackers were unsuccessful.

The FBI and CISA are investigating Chinese cyber activities

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

The statement reads: The United States government is investigating unauthorized access to commercial telecommunications infrastructure by entities affiliated with the People’s Republic of China. Once the FBI identified specific malicious activity targeting this sector, the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) immediately notified affected companies, provided technical assistance, and quickly shared information to help other potential victims. The investigation is ongoing and we encourage any organization that believes they may be a victim to contact their local FBI or CISA field office. Agencies across the U.S. government are working together to aggressively mitigate this threat and are working with our industry partners to strengthen cybersecurity defenses in the commercial communications sector.