Inside the ‘digital lockdown’ for US officials as Trump arrives in China
As President Donald Trump and hundreds of aides, security personnel and officials prepare to travel to China , many will leave behind one of the most basic tools of modern government: their everyday cellphones. Instead, officials entering China often travel with stripped-down "clean" devices, temporary laptops and tightly controlled communications systems designed to minimize the risk of surveillance, hacking or data collection in what U.S. officials consider one of the world’s most aggressive cyber environments. The precautions can transform even routine tasks into logistical headaches. Messages that would normally travel instantly through encrypted apps or synced devices are instead routed through controlled channels, temporary accounts or relayed in person. CHINA-LINKED HACKING GROUP TARGETS PHONES BELONGING TO TRUMP FAMILY, BIDEN AIDES: REPORT Contacts disappear. Cloud access is limited. Some officials operate for days without their normal digital footprint. Current and ...