*

Trump and Vance also targeted, NYT reports

*

Chinese embassy denies involvement in U.S. elections

*

FBI and CISA investigating unauthorized access to telecom

infrastructure

(Adds Chinese embassy comment in paragraphs 6-7, adds bullet

points)

By Trevor Hunnicutt and Jasper Ward

WASHINGTON, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Chinese hackers who

tapped into Verizon's system targeted phones used by people

affiliated with the campaign of Democratic presidential

candidate Kamala Harris, a person familiar with the situation

said on Friday.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his

running mate, JD Vance, were also targeted, according to media

reports. Reuters could not confirm those reports.

The New York Times reported investigators were working to

determine what communications, if any, were taken from Trump and

Vance.

The Trump campaign was made aware this week that Trump and

Vance were among a number of people inside and outside of

government whose phone numbers were targeted through the

infiltration of Verizon phone systems, the Times report

added.

The Trump campaign did not confirm that Trump's and Vance's

phones were targeted.

Steven Cheung, the campaign's communications director, said

Vice President Harris has emboldened China and Iran to attack

U.S. infrastructure to prevent Trump from returning to office.

While noting that it was not aware of the specific

situation, the Chinese embassy in Washington said China opposes

and combat cyber attacks and cyber thefts in all forms.

"The presidential elections are the United States' domestic

affairs. China has no intention and will not interfere in the

U.S. election," an embassy spokesperson said when reached for

comment.

The Harris campaign did not immediately respond to requests

for comment.

The Trump campaign was hacked earlier this year. The U.S.

Justice Department charged three members of Iran's Revolutionary

Guard Corps with the hack, accusing them of trying to disrupt

the Nov. 5 election.

The FBI and the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure

Security Agency said on Friday they were investigating

unauthorized access to commercial telecommunications

infrastructure by people associated with China.

The joint statement by the agencies did not name the targets

of the incident.

Verizon said it was aware of a sophisticated attempt to

reportedly target U.S. telecoms and gather intelligence.

The largest U.S. telecom company added it was working with

law enforcement.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt, Jasper Ward and David

Shepardson; Additional reporting by Katharine Jackson; Editing

by Eric Beech, Rod Nickel and Lincoln Feast.)