U.S. law enforcement officials are investigating a Chinese hack of commercial telecommunications infrastructure, including the possible targeting of both presidential campaigns, the FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency announced Friday.
The FBI identified “specific malicious activity targeting the sector,” followed by the bureau and the CISA notifying “affected companies, rendered technical assistance, and rapidly shared information to assist other potential victims,” a statement from both agencies said.
2024 ELECTIONS LIVE UPDATES: LATEST NEWS ON THE TRUMP-HARRIS PRESIDENTIAL RACE
Two of the targets are said to be former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), according to the New York Times. The campaign was informed this week that it was among those being targeted through the infiltration of Verizon phone systems. People affiliated with the Harris campaign were also targeted, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The Trump campaign accused the Biden-Harris administration of emboldening U.S. adversaries.
“This is the continuation of election interference by Kamala Harris and Democrats who will stop at nothing, including emboldening China and Iran, attacking critical American infrastructure to prevent President Trump from returning to the White House. Their dangerous and violent rhetoric has given permission to those who wish to harm President Trump,” Steven Cheung, Trump’s campaign communications director, told the Washington Examiner.
“They have now stood by and allowed major foreign adversaries to attack us in order to illegally help Kamala because they know she represents a weak American who will always bow down,” he added. “Whereas, President Trump will actually stand up against our enemies and defend the United States from any and all aggression.”
Authorities are trying to determine what communications data, if any, the group was able to glean from its hack. The details of whom a president (if Trump were to win next month’s election) talks to, for how long, and how frequently could be useful information for adversaries looking to target specific individuals for influence operations.
“We are aware that a highly sophisticated nation-state actor has reportedly targeted several U.S. telecommunications providers to gather intelligence,” a Verizon spokesman said in a statement to CBS. “Along with federal law enforcement industry peers and third-party cyber experts, we are working to confirm, assess and remediate any potential impact. Verizon is committed to assisting law enforcement in this investigation.”
FBI Director Christopher Wray previously warned U.S. lawmakers that Chinese hackers were targeting U.S. electrical grids and other infrastructure.
“China’s hackers are positioning on American infrastructure in preparation to wreak havoc and cause real-world harm to American citizens and communities, if or when China decides the time has come to strike,” Wray said in his opening remarks to the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party in January.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has assessed that Beijing is not trying to sway the election by pushing narratives, misinformation, and disinformation to boost one candidate, but the country is trying to sway public opinion in its favor.
Iranian hackers have also targeted the Trump campaign, the FBI, the ODNI, and CISA said in August.
“The IC is confident that the Iranians have, through social engineering and other efforts, sought access to individuals with direct access to the Presidential campaigns of both political parties,” the agencies said at the time. “Such activity, including thefts and disclosures, are intended to influence the U.S. election process.”
The U.S. intelligence community has issued several warnings about Chinese, Iranian, and Russian attempts to interfere in the 2024 presidential election and to sow further division between Americans.
In one recent example, Russian disinformation actors were responsible for a video that went viral on social media alleging that Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), Democratic vice presidential candidate, had an inappropriate relationship with a student years ago, an official with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The official also warned that the intel community believes these actors will try to sow discord on and immediately after Election Day, depending on what happens, to inflame tensions and possibly invoke violence.
“The [intelligence community] assesses that foreign actors are highly likely to conduct Information Operations in the period after voting ends, to create uncertainty and try to undermine the legitimacy of the election process,” the official told reporters, later adding, “Iran and Russia are probably willing to at least consider tactics that would contribute to such violence.”