2 weeks Ago By Firstpost
Chinese hackers may have gained unauthorised access to the iPhones of two of Trump’s presidential campaign officials, and evidence suggests this could be connected to a major telecom breach from earlier in the year. The hack, carried out by the Chinese group Salt Typhoon, allegedly compromised American telecom networks and could have given the hackers a way in. An FBI investigation is now underway to uncover the details.
The security firm iVerify raised the alarm after spotting unusual activity on two iPhones belonging to senior officials of a US presidential candidate. According to reports, settings on these devices were altered in ways that aren’t typical for healthy iPhones. This suspicious behaviour pointed to potential tampering, though specifics about what information might have been accessed — or even which officials were targeted — remain under wraps.
The alleged hack ties back to a bigger incident in October, when Salt Typhoon reportedly breached AT&T and Verizon networks. The hackers exploited wiretap portals — originally meant for lawful surveillance — to snoop around. These backdoors had been used for years by US authorities to monitor criminal activity, but Salt Typhoon’s unauthorised access to these portals stretched on for months.
Exactly how they used this entry point is still a mystery, but the possibility of a link to the campaign officials’ iPhones has raised serious questions. One of the biggest puzzles in this saga is how the telecom breach might have escalated to compromising the security of the iPhones. If someone was able to manipulate settings remotely, it suggests a far deeper level of access than simple eavesdropping.
It’s also concerning that at least one of the individuals targeted in the potential iPhone hack had already been in Salt Typhoon’s crosshairs for some time. The backdoors in telecom systems were first established as a security measure in the 1990s, meant to assist law enforcement. Now, with this breach, questions are being raised about whether these security loopholes have become too tempting for hackers to resist.
As the FBI digs deeper, concerns about digital safety and the vulnerability of even the most guarded systems are sure to grow. The investigation continues, and everyone is left wondering whether such breaches are just a consequence of building backdoors meant only for the “good guys.”.
