Chinese Hackers Targeted Phones Used By Donald Trump And JD Vance: Report

Chinese hackers reportedly targeted data from phones used by former US President Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance. The New York Times reported that the attempt was part of what appears to be a wide-ranging effort to gather information about American leaders. Meanwhile, Reuters reported that Chinese hackers also targeted mobile phones used by people affiliated with the campaign of Kamala Harris.

The Times, citing sources, also reported that investigators are working to determine what communications data, if any, was taken or observed by the sophisticated penetration of telecom systems. The investigation into this highly sensitive case is continuing. However, the FBI and national security officials have signaled that they are deeply concerned about the potential extent of compromised data, the report added.

At the same time, a joint statement from the FBI and the Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said that the US administration is investigating the unauthorized access to commercial telecommunications infrastructure by "actors affiliated with the People’s Republic of China." The statement, released on October 25, also said that the agencies "immediately notified affected companies, rendered technical assistance, and rapidly shared information to assist other potential victims" after the "malicious activity" was identified. However, the statement did not name the targets of the incident. The Chinese embassy in Washington told Reuters that it was not aware of the specific situation and added that "China has no intention and will not interfere in the US election."