Chinese-Linked Hack Breaches US Telecom Sector as Election Threats Mount

The FBI and CISA said the hackers have breached U.S. telecommunications networks, prompting mitigation measures and an investigation.

A member of the hacking group Red Hacker Alliance uses a website that monitors global cyberattacks on his computer in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, China, on Aug. 4, 2020. Nicolas Asfouri/AFP via Getty Images

Hackers linked to the Chinese Communist Party have breached the United States’ commercial telecommunications sector, according to federal agencies, which are “aggressively” working to mitigate the harm, while unconfirmed reports suggest that former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), may be among those targeted.

In a joint statement issued on Oct. 25, the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said they are investigating malicious activities targeting the telecommunications sector, which the agencies believe are linked to threat actors affiliated with the Chinese regime.