The New York Times revealed on Friday that Chinese hackers reportedly infiltrated the phones of Republican presidential and vice-presidential candidates Donald Trump and J.D. Vance in a troubling security breach. Although the extent of the data accessed remains unclear, officials believe the hackers gained access via a compromise in Verizon’s cellular network.
This infiltration places Trump and Vance among prominent figures whose devices were reportedly compromised, including several from President Biden’s administration. Earlier this year, U.S. authorities identified a China-linked hacker group, known as “Salt Typhoon,” which had infiltrated domestic mobile networks. However, investigators have only recently discovered that specific phone numbers were directly targeted.
With the U.S. presidential election set for November 5, news of the breach has heightened security concerns. Trump’s campaign has already faced cyber threats this cycle, including attacks from Iranian hackers attempting to access Republican computers through phishing emails. The recent breach is yet another reminder of the vulnerabilities in the digital landscape surrounding national elections.