**China-Backed Hackers Target U.S. Telecom Systems, Potentially Compromise High-Profile Politicians**

Federal authorities have identified China-backed cybercriminals as suspects in an attempted infiltration of phones or networks used by prominent U.S. political figures, including former President Donald Trump, Sen. JD Vance, and members of Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign. Multiple sources informed CBS News about the intrusion, expressing concern over the hackers' potential access to sensitive communication systems and data associated with the candidates.

The exact scope and the specific information compromised by this cyber operation remains undetermined. However, sources indicate that the affected parties were recently notified that their phones might have been targeted. Both the Justice Department and the FBI have refrained from commenting on the situation.

One source familiar with the ongoing investigation noted that the attempt to target Trump and Vance was a part of a wider cyberattack that implicated officials from both major political parties. This incident is being treated as an espionage attempt rather than a campaign influence effort.

A joint statement from the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) confirmed that the U.S. government is actively investigating unauthorized access to telecommunications networks attributed to actors linked with the People's Republic of China. The agencies noted that, upon identifying the malicious activity, they swiftly informed the affected companies, offered technical support, and disseminated information to help potential victims.

The Trump campaign spokesman reacted to the breach, alleging it was a deliberate effort by Democrats to disrupt Trump's return to the White House. Meanwhile, federal investigators have been scrutinizing the suspected China-backed hack on major U.S. telecommunication companies for weeks, suspecting the attackers of leveraging their access to gather intelligence on critical U.S. government operations.

The hacking group, identified as "Salt Typhoon," has been linked to breaches in major U.S. companies such as Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen Technologies. The extent and severity of the hack are still under investigation. According to a U.S. official, the Chinese hackers also infiltrated systems utilized for U.S. intelligence wiretaps, and efforts are ongoing to determine what information might have been compromised.

Verizon's spokesperson, Rich Young, acknowledged the hack and emphasized the company's commitment to assisting law enforcement in their investigation, although further comments from the company were withheld. Both Lumen Technologies and AT&T declined to comment on the situation.

FBI Director Christopher Wray has previously cautioned about the extensive cyber threats posed by China, noting recent attacks on U.S. water treatment facilities and electrical grids designed to disrupt critical infrastructures.

This breach follows a separate cyber operation involving three Iranian hackers charged by the Justice Department last month for allegedly targeting members of Trump's campaign in a broad malicious campaign aimed at compromising accounts of U.S. officials and political figures. While the targeted campaign was not explicitly named, U.S. officials have consistently reported Iran's attempts to undermine Trump's political ambitions.