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A group of hackers believed to be linked to the Chinese government have reportedly targeted the phone communications of former President Donald Trump and vice presidential nominee JD Vance, sources familiar with the matter told CNN. The cyber-espionage effort is part of a broader campaign aimed at high-level U.S. targets, including senior Biden administration officials. The Trump campaign was informed this week that Trump and Vance were among those targeted. It remains unclear what data, if any, the hackers were able to access.
The FBI and the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) confirmed in a statement on Friday (October 25) that they are investigating unauthorized access to commercial telecommunications infrastructure by actors affiliated with the People's Republic of China. The agencies have notified affected companies and are providing technical assistance. The investigation is ongoing.
The hackers' activities are part of a larger Chinese hacking campaign that has infiltrated multiple U.S. telecommunications firms in recent months. Investigators believe the hackers are likely searching for sensitive national security information. Major U.S. broadband and internet providers AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen are among the hackers' targets. The Chinese government has denied the allegations.
The news comes as China, Iran, and Russia continue to try to influence or monitor different aspects of the U.S. election. China has targeted at least ten congressional, state, or local election races with covert social media campaigns, according to U.S. intelligence agencies.