CNN —
A group of hackers linked to the Chinese government is targeting phone communications between former President Donald Trump and vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance as part of a broader cyber-espionage campaign aimed at high-level targets in the United States, according to a news release. Two sources familiar with the matter told CNN.
Chinese hackers are also targeting senior Biden administration officials, one of the people said.
U.S. officials notified the Trump campaign this week that Trump and Vance were among a group of cellphones targeted by Chinese hackers, one of the people said. In a statement, Trump campaign spokesman Stephen Chan attacked the Harris campaign for emboldening China.
It was not immediately clear what data, if any, the hackers were able to access. Telephone conversations between current and former U.S. officials are coveted by foreign spies.
“The U.S. government is investigating unauthorized access to commercial telecommunications infrastructure by persons associated with the People’s Republic of China,” the FBI and the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said in a statement Friday.
After the FBI identified a hack targeting telecommunications companies, the FBI and CISA “immediately notified affected companies, provided technical assistance, and provided assistance to other potential victims.” information was promptly shared,” the statement continued, adding that the investigation is ongoing.
The New York Times first reported on the hack targeting Trump and Vance’s cell phones.
The operation is part of a broader Chinese hacking campaign that has compromised multiple U.S. telecommunications companies over the past few months. Investigators believe the hackers were likely looking for sensitive national security information, possibly including information about the Justice Department’s request for a wiretap warrant, CNN previously reported.
In this case, there is no evidence that the hackers searched for data on Mr. Trump and Mr. Vance related to U.S. law enforcement activity, the people said.
Major US broadband internet providers AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen have also been targeted by hackers, CNN reported.
The Chinese government denies the allegations.
The news comes as China, Iran and Russia continue to influence or monitor various aspects of the US election. Although China has not launched a concerted effort to influence the presidential election, it has conducted covert social media campaigns targeting at least 10 congressional, state and local races, according to U.S. intelligence agencies.
This story has been interrupted and will be updated.
