Chinese hackers reportedly targeting US officials' smartphones since late 2024
What's the story
Cybersecurity experts have uncovered a sophisticated cyberattack targeting the smartphones of government officials, political figures, tech professionals, and journalists.
The attack was first detected in late 2024 and continued into 2025. It involved a strange software crash pattern that may have allowed hackers to access devices without any user interaction.
The cybersecurity firm iVerify discovered that all victims worked in sectors of interest to China's government and had been previously targeted by Chinese-linked hackers.
Vulnerability
Mobile security crisis
The attack underscores the growing threat to mobile devices and apps, which are critical vulnerabilities in US cyber defenses.
Foreign groups linked to China's military and intelligence have increasingly exploited these weaknesses.
Experts warn that such security failures could expose sensitive data and compromise American interests.
"The world is in a mobile security crisis right now," Rocky Cole, former cybersecurity expert at the National Security Agency (NSA) and Google, now COO at iVerify, said.
Espionage
Campaign also targeted Trump
US authorities had warned in December about a massive Chinese hacking campaign aimed at accessing the texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans.
The campaign also targeted phones used by Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, during the 2024 campaign.
The Chinese government has denied these allegations, accusing the US of conducting its own cyber operations under the pretext of national security.
Telecom concerns
Mobile devices have become valuable intel treasure troves
Chinese telecom firms still maintain some routing and cloud storage systems in the US, raising concerns among lawmakers.
"The American people deserve to know if Beijing is quietly using state-owned firms to infiltrate our critical infrastructure," US Rep John Moolenaar said.
Mobile devices have become valuable intel treasure troves as they can buy stocks, launch drones, and run power plants. Their proliferation has often outpaced security measures.
Security measures
Cyber trust mark for connected devices
Federal officials launched a program this year creating a "cyber trust mark" for connected devices that meet federal security standards.
However, experts warn that risks emerge when smartphone users don't take precautions, especially if their device contains classified or sensitive information.
"They all have access to a variety of secure communications platforms," Michael Williams, national security expert at Syracuse University, said.