U.S. officials have revealed that cybercriminals believed to have ties to China may have attempted to infiltrate the devices and networks of former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Senator JD Vance. Sources familiar with the situation told CBS News that the Trump-Vance campaign was alerted about a broader cyber attack that may have included their communications.
Additionally, officials from both major political parties are suspected of being victims of this hacking attempt, although details about any compromised information are still unclear. The FBI and the Department of Justice have refrained from confirming the targets of this operation.
A joint statement from the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) acknowledged that the U.S. government is investigating unauthorized access to commercial telecommunications infrastructure, attributing this intrusion to actors connected with the People's Republic of China. The agencies stated that they took immediate action upon detecting the “malicious activity,” including notifying affected companies and providing technical assistance to prevent further breaches. Their investigation is ongoing.
Officials across various government agencies are reportedly working together to enhance cyber defenses within the communications sector in response to this escalating threat. Meanwhile, the Trump campaign has pointed fingers at the Democrats, alleging without substantiation that this hack is an effort to thwart Trump's return to the presidency.
The Wall Street Journal added that the campaign of Harris-Walz may have also been compromised, noting that law enforcement views the incident as espionage rather than an act of campaign manipulation, according to a reliable source associated with the investigation.
