Iranian Hackers Target US Election Campaigns
In a concerning development for the upcoming US elections, Iranian hackers have reportedly sent stolen materials from Republican candidate Donald Trump’s campaign to individuals associated with President Joe Biden’s re-election efforts. This activity, which took place before Trump withdrew from the presidential race on July 21, has been confirmed by US intelligence agencies, including the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. They indicated that this incident is part of a broader strategy by Tehran to meddle in the electoral process as the elections approach on November 5.
The joint statement released by these agencies highlights that Iranian cyber actors have been actively attempting to disseminate non-public materials related to Trump’s campaign to American media outlets since last June. This malicious cyber activity illustrates Iran's ongoing efforts to foment discord and diminish public confidence in the electoral process, according to US officials. The agencies have not disclosed specific details about the nature of the stolen materials or the identities of the recipients.
Accusations and Denials Amid Election Turmoil
This incident follows previous accusations against Iran for launching cyber operations targeting both Trump and his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, as well as engaging in influence operations aimed at exacerbating political divisions within the United States. In response to these allegations, the Trump campaign has called for Harris and Biden to clarify whether they utilized the hacked materials to undermine Trump’s candidacy.
During a recent rally, Trump claimed that Iran's interference was a form of foreign meddling in the election, further intensifying the political rhetoric surrounding the issue. However, a spokesperson for Harris's campaign stated that they were unaware of any direct communications from the hackers and suggested that a limited number of individuals may have been targeted with spam or phishing attempts.
Iran has vehemently denied any involvement in US electoral interference, labeling the accusations as
baseless and completely unacceptable.
The Iranian government asserts that it has no motive or intention to interfere in the US elections, while also accusing the US of long-standing interference in its own affairs.
