Iranian hackers share Trump campaign material with Biden team in latest cyberattack
- In Reports
- 11:56 AM, Sep 19, 2024
- Myind Staff
Over the summer, Iranian hackers shared unsolicited information stolen from former U.S. President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign with individuals linked to U.S. President Joe Biden’s campaign, according to a report by CNN, citing federal law enforcement officials. In a joint statement released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, it was revealed that Iranian cyber actors sent unsolicited emails to members of Biden’s campaign in late June and early July. These emails contained text excerpts taken from non-public, stolen material from Trump’s campaign.
Despite the hackers' efforts, there is no evidence to suggest that anyone from Biden’s campaign responded to these emails, according to the joint statement. The report also noted that attempts by the hackers to disseminate this stolen information to U.S. media outlets have persisted.
The hack is believed to be part of broader efforts by the Iranian government to “stoke discord and undermine confidence in our electoral process,” as CNN reported. Law enforcement officials had previously noted that these efforts also included a failed attempt to hack the Biden-Harris campaign during the election cycle. Iranian hackers have increasingly focused on undermining U.S. elections through cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns.
In addition to this, The New York Times and The Washington Post reported receiving similar material. This included a 271-page document on Vance dated February 23, labelled “privileged & confidential.” The outlets noted that the document was based on publicly available information, though it was still part of the broader campaign of disinformation by Iranian actors.
CNN’s report also revealed that in June, Iranian hackers successfully breached the email account of Roger Stone, a long-time ally of Trump. U.S. officials suspect that the hackers are affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Using Stone’s email account, the hackers attempted to access the account of a senior Trump campaign official, as part of their larger plan to infiltrate the campaign’s networks.
The U.S. presidential election is set for November 5, with Donald Trump confirmed as the Republican nominee. Following President Biden’s withdrawal from the race in July, Vice President Kamala Harris is now the Democratic Party’s nominee for the upcoming election. Biden has since endorsed Harris for the presidency.
Image source: India TV
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