Chinese hackers target US politicians, according to WaPo
Chinese hackers reportedly accessed audio recordings of phone calls involving US politicians, including a Trump campaign adviser, according to claims made by the Washington Post. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
According to sources reported by the Washington Post, Chinese hackers have accessed the phones of several US politicians and recorded audio from their calls. Among the victims is an unnamed adviser to Donald Trump's presidential campaign.
The hackers are believed to be part of a group identified as ‘Salt Typhoon’ by US researchers, which is suspected to have connections with China's primary espionage agency, the Ministry of State Security. The report states that the hackers successfully captured audio from multiple calls during an extensive operation that unfolded over several months.
One source indicated that at least one US official was informed late last week that hackers had infiltrated his personal cellphone, seeking access to phone logs, text messages, and additional data on the device.
The Washington Post noted that the total number of individuals affected by this breach is believed to be fewer than one hundred. A former senior official in US cyber operations mentioned to the newspaper that the limited scale of the hack may be due to the high value placed on access to the phones of US politicians, prompting the perpetrators to exercise caution to evade detection for as long as they could.
In response to the breach, the US government has initiated an investigation to assess how much audio the hackers managed to collect, and it is possible that more victims may be identified as the investigation progresses. The FBI has declined to comment on these developments.
The Washington Post emphasized that this alleged hacking incident "heightens concerns over the extent of the infiltration" as the US presidential election approaches on November 5.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington previously stated that it was unaware of the activities of ‘Salt Typhoon’ and accused the US of fabricating evidence regarding Chinese involvement in cyberattacks. Beijing has consistently denied allegations from Washington about its attempts to interfere in the US electoral process. In July, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian asserted that “China has never interfered in and will not interfere in the US election,” adding that the authorities in Beijing “oppose the US spreading false information to smear China.”
Olivia Brown for TROIB News
The hackers are believed to be part of a group identified as ‘Salt Typhoon’ by US researchers, which is suspected to have connections with China's primary espionage agency, the Ministry of State Security. The report states that the hackers successfully captured audio from multiple calls during an extensive operation that unfolded over several months.
One source indicated that at least one US official was informed late last week that hackers had infiltrated his personal cellphone, seeking access to phone logs, text messages, and additional data on the device.
The Washington Post noted that the total number of individuals affected by this breach is believed to be fewer than one hundred. A former senior official in US cyber operations mentioned to the newspaper that the limited scale of the hack may be due to the high value placed on access to the phones of US politicians, prompting the perpetrators to exercise caution to evade detection for as long as they could.
In response to the breach, the US government has initiated an investigation to assess how much audio the hackers managed to collect, and it is possible that more victims may be identified as the investigation progresses. The FBI has declined to comment on these developments.
The Washington Post emphasized that this alleged hacking incident "heightens concerns over the extent of the infiltration" as the US presidential election approaches on November 5.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington previously stated that it was unaware of the activities of ‘Salt Typhoon’ and accused the US of fabricating evidence regarding Chinese involvement in cyberattacks. Beijing has consistently denied allegations from Washington about its attempts to interfere in the US electoral process. In July, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian asserted that “China has never interfered in and will not interfere in the US election,” adding that the authorities in Beijing “oppose the US spreading false information to smear China.”
Olivia Brown for TROIB News
