In a startling revelation, a US newspaper reported that Chinese hackers targeted the phone data of former US President Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, in a sophisticated cyber espionage operation. This alleged attack, attributed to the hacking group ‘Salt Typhoon’, aimed to gather intelligence on key political figures in the United States.
According to sources familiar with the matter, investigators are currently evaluating whether any sensitive communications data was accessed or monitored during the breach. The sources, speaking anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the national security investigation, revealed that the Trump campaign team was alerted to the hacking earlier this week.
The scope of the attack extends beyond the Republican camp, as prominent figures in the Democratic Party were also targeted. Reports indicate that staff members from Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign and notable figures in the Senate, including Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, were among the victims of the cyberattack.
Western cybersecurity experts have identified ‘Salt Typhoon’ as the group responsible for the sophisticated telecom systems breach. The ongoing investigation seeks to determine if the hackers are still active within Verizon’s network, potentially gathering further intelligence or planning future exploitation.
This revelation comes at a time when Trump’s team has faced other cyber threats, including an alleged Iranian hacking group that breached the campaign’s emails and shared stolen material with a Democratic political operative. This group, known as Mint Sandstorm or APT42, reportedly compromised the accounts of multiple Trump campaign staffers between May and June. The US Department of Justice indicted three Iranian hackers in connection with this breach, warning that they continue to pose a threat to campaign staff. If convicted, they face potential prison sentences and fines.
Meanwhile, the FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a joint statement confirming an ongoing investigation into unauthorized access to US telecommunications infrastructure by actors linked to the People’s Republic of China. The statement emphasizes the agencies’ collaboration with affected companies to mitigate the threat and strengthen cyber defenses across the commercial communications sector.
The ongoing investigations underscore the growing concern over cyberattacks targeting political figures and institutions. These incidents highlight the vulnerability of critical infrastructure and the need for heightened cybersecurity measures to protect against foreign interference and espionage.
