The FBI is currently investigating whether China used access to American telecoms networks to infect the iPhones of senior staff of a U.S. presidential campaign, based on information from a cybersecurity expert involved in protecting the officials’ devices. Rocky Cole, the founder of mobile security startup iVerify, shared that his company’s software detected anomalous behavior on two iPhones belonging to senior officials of the campaign, although he did not specify which one it was. The settings on the staff iPhones were changed in patterns that are typically seen with mobile malware developed by government hacking groups, prompting a robust investigation. The FBI confirmed that one of the impacted iPhones was targeted by a Chinese cyber espionage group known as Salt Typhoon.
Reports from the Wall Street Journal revealed that Salt Typhoon breached the networks of major telecoms companies like AT&T and Verizon, with targets including President Trump, his running mate JD Vance, and individuals working on the Kamala Harris campaign. Cole noted that the timeline of the anomalous behavior aligned with Salt Typhoon’s activities within the Verizon network, suggesting a deeper exploitation of adjacent networks and devices. iVerify was tasked with protecting the officials’ iPhones through their work with the Defending Digital Campaigns nonprofit, which provides free cybersecurity tools to candidates and staff. The ongoing investigation aims to determine whether the devices were actually breached.
If the FBI confirms that a candidate or their staff had their iPhones hacked, it would represent a significant breach of security. Malware on a smartphone allows for broader access to information compared to compromising telecom networks, potentially granting access to the phone’s microphone, calls, texts, encrypted communications, private information stored on various apps, and detailed location information. Apple, the FBI, and Verizon have not provided any comments on the matter. The Chinese Embassy in Washington D.C. denied allegations of being behind any attacks on the U.S. election, stating that China has no intention of interfering in the election and firmly opposes the spread of malicious speculations against China.
American officials and cybersecurity experts view China as a major cyber threat to the U.S. Chris Krebs, former chief of the DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, emphasized that China should be a top priority for the incoming Trump administration. Krebs was dismissed by Trump in 2020 via Twitter after declaring the election legitimate and free from outside influence. Krebs highlighted the need for the Trump administration to counter the recent increase in cyber activity from China and to consider offensive cyber options as China prepares for potential conflict. The looming question is whether the U.S. is adequately prepared to confront China in the cyber domain amidst escalating tensions.
