A Chinese hacking campaign targeted the phones of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, his running mate Sen. JD Vance, Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign affiliates, and the staff of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The FBI and CISA are investigating the unauthorized access to U.S. telecommunication networks by Chinese actors. The U.S. government has concluded that China hacked three American telecommunications companies: AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen Technologies. Verizon confirmed being targeted by a “nation-state actor” for intelligence gathering. However, the hack does not appear to be part of an effort to influence the 2024 U.S. election. China has a history of cyberespionage against U.S. businesses and government entities, while the U.S. has accused Iran and Russia of attempting to sway voters in favor of their preferred presidential candidates. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has stated that China seeks to undermine U.S. society but does not aim to influence the presidential race. The Chinese embassy in Washington denied knowledge of the situation and emphasized non-interference in U.S. elections. Reporters Kevin Collier, Ken Dilanian, and Tom Winter cover cybersecurity, intelligence, and investigative journalism for NBC News.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com
