Chinese hackers targeted phone used by Trump, US newspaper says | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

The Washington Post has reported that Chinese government hackers tried to get inside telephones used by former US President Donald Trump and others, including those involved in ongoing US presidential campaigns.

The report drew a Chinese accusation that the United States is disseminating false information.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency on Friday issued a joint statement, saying the US government is investigating the unauthorized access to commercial telecommunications infrastructure by actors affiliated with China.

The Washington Post on the same day reported that a Chinese hacking group that has been dubbed “Salt Typhoon” carried out the cyberattacks, citing sources close to the matter. The paper quoted officials as saying the group is connected to China’s main spy agency, the Ministry of State Security.

The paper said phones used by Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance and staff for Vice President Kamala Harris’ Democratic presidential campaign were also among those targeted by the group.

The paper said it was not immediately clear if the attempts were successful.

It also quoted officials as saying they “do not consider the latest attempts to be election interference.”

The Trump camp has reportedly tightened its guard after being briefed on the matter by the FBI.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the US told NHK on Saturday that its staff members were not aware of the specific situation.

But the spokesperson accused the US of compiling and spreading “all kinds of disinformation about the so-called Chinese hacking threats” in recent years, and said such allegations are “full of malicious speculations” against China.