On November 14, 2024, US authorities announced the discovery of a significant cyberespionage operation attributed to hackers affiliated with China, aimed at stealing sensitive information from American individuals involved in government and politics.
The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) reported that these hackers compromised networks at various telecommunications companies, allowing them to access customer call records and private communications of select individuals.
While the specific identities of the targeted individuals were not disclosed, the agencies indicated that they were primarily involved in political activities. The hackers also allegedly accessed information subject to US law enforcement requests, hinting at attempts to undermine programs governed by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
This revelation follows a series of hacking incidents attributed to Beijing, which US officials claim are part of a broader strategy to acquire technological and governmental data and to target critical infrastructure. In September, the FBI disclosed a Chinese hacking effort named Flax Typhoon, which involved malicious software installed on over 200,000 consumer devices.
Additionally, the FBI had previously launched an investigation into the alleged hacking of mobile phones used by Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance. This attack reportedly involved infiltration of the Verizon network and targeted individuals associated with both Republican and Democratic presidential nominees.