The FBI has recently disclosed to one of President-elect Donald Trump's lead attorneys that his cellphone was targeted by Chinese hackers as part of a broader operation aimed at high-profile figures in US politics. The attorney, Todd Blanche, was notified by the FBI last week that the hackers managed to access some voice recordings and text messages from his phone. Fortunately, the information obtained was not related to Trump.
Blanche, who has since changed his phone number following the breach, was provided with details of what the hackers were able to obtain, including communications with his family. This incident marks the second known instance of a Trump attorney being targeted by foreign hackers, with attorney Lindsey Halligan reportedly falling victim to an Iranian hacking attempt earlier this year.
In addition to Blanche, Chinese hackers have also set their sights on other prominent figures in Trump's circle, such as Trump himself, Vice President-elect JD Vance, Jared Kushner, Eric Trump, members of the Harris-Walz campaign, and individuals within the Biden administration. The hacking campaign, facilitated through intrusions at major US telecom companies like AT&T, Lumen, and Verizon, has raised serious concerns among national security officials due to the extensive access gained by the hackers to the call and phone records of notable Americans.
US officials investigating the matter have labeled this hacking operation as one of the most alarming national security-related breaches in recent memory. Despite US accusations, the Chinese government has denied any involvement in the hack, further complicating the ongoing investigation into this sophisticated cyberattack.
