Chinese hackers targeted the cellphones of senior Democrats and other political figures, including former President Donald Trump, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, and members of the Harris campaign. The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) are investigating the breaches as part of a broader cyber espionage operation reportedly linked to China.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s, D-N.Y., staff was among the prominent Democratic targets, according to a Democratic source briefed on the situation. While it is unclear what, if any, data was accessed, U.S. officials are pursuing further investigations and say the Chinese campaign targeted numerous U.S. entities as part of a widespread effort.
The FBI and CISA issued a joint statement on Friday, Oct. 25, acknowledging the “unauthorized access to commercial telecommunications infrastructure” by Chinese-linked actors. The agencies say they are collaborating across federal departments and with private industry to strengthen cyber defenses in the commercial communications sector.
Officials aren’t yet sure what data may have been accessed, but The Washington Post reports the operation did intercept audio and text data from a Trump campaign staffer. What exactly it contains is still unknown.
The hack comes amid rising concerns over foreign interference in the 2024 election, with federal agencies warning of potential election meddling from China, Russia and Iran.
Microsoft released a report earlier this week detailing Chinese influence operations directed at several Republican figures known for their anti-China stance, and last summer, Iran allegedly attempted to hack the Trump campaign, reportedly trying to pass information to President Biden’s team.
