US Election 2024: Chinese hackers allegedly target Trump and JD Vance’s phone data, says Report
- A cyber-espionage operation allegedly orchestrated by Chinese hackers has reportedly targeted phone data linked to former President Donald Trump, his running mate JD Vance, and several prominent Democratic figures, including staff members of Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign.
Phone data associated with former US President Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, was reportedly targeted in a cyber-espionage operation, reportedly orchestrated by Chinese hackers as part of an intelligence-gathering effort, a US newspaper reported on Friday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Investigators are evaluating whether any communications data was accessed or monitored through the "sophisticated telecom 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, speaking anonymously due to the case's sensitivity, confirmed to the newspaper that the Trump campaign team was notified of the hacking earlier this week.
The breach appears to have also targeted prominent figures in the Democratic Party. Staff members from Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign and notable Capitol Hill figures, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, were reportedly among the targets. These revelations highlight the breadth of the cyberattack, which Western cybersecurity experts have attributed to a hacking group they refer to as "Salt Typhoon".
The ongoing investigation aims to determine if the hackers are still lurking within Verizon's network, gathering intelligence or preparing for further exploitation, the news report said.
The revelation came in the closing stages of a campaign in which Trump’s team has also been targeted by Iranian hackers group accused of breaching Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump’s campaign emails has managed to get its stolen material published, according to the 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. This material includes internal Trump campaign discussions with advisors on various election topics, the report stated.
The hacking group, known as Mint Sandstorm or APT42, reportedly compromised multiple Trump campaign staffers’ accounts between May and June. The US Department of Justice indicted three Iranian hackers for the breach, warning they still pose a threat to campaign staff. If convicted, the hackers could face prison sentences and fines. This leak highlights, the report said, Iran's ongoing efforts to interfere in the U.S. election despite recent indictments and warnings from Homeland Security. It said attempts to reach the accused hackers were unsuccessful.
FBI and CISA investigate Chinese cyber activity
The FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a joint statement on October 25 confirming an ongoing investigation into unauthorized access to US telecommunications infrastructure by actors affiliated with the People’s Republic of China.
Its statement read: 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. 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.
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Business NewsNewsUs NewsUS Election 2024: Chinese hackers allegedly target Trump and JD Vance’s phone data, says Report
First Published:28 Oct 2024, 02:19 AM IST
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