Title: FBI Confirms Iran’s Attempted Hacks on Trump and Biden Campaigns – US Election News
The US government has officially confirmed that Iran made attempts to hack both Donald Trump’s presidential campaign as well as the Biden-Harris operation. In a joint statement issued on Monday, the FBI, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence highlighted the “increasingly aggressive Iranian activity” observed during this election cycle.
Iranian Hacking Attempts on US Presidential Campaigns
According to the statement released by the agencies, hackers specifically targeted presidential campaigns with the goal of influencing the American public. The FBI, CIA, and other intelligence agencies acknowledged that Iran had engaged in social engineering and other strategies to gain access to individuals closely associated with the presidential campaigns of both political parties. The agencies emphasized that such activities, which included thefts and disclosures, were aimed at influencing the US election process.
The recent revelation by Google indicated that the same hackers had targeted the Biden-Harris campaign even before President Joe Biden declared his candidacy for the White House. However, it remains unclear whether these attempts were successful. In response to these allegations, Ms. Harris’s campaign stated that they had no evidence of being hacked. Tehran’s UN mission to the US has strongly denied these claims, calling them “unsubstantiated and devoid of any standing.” The Iranian government reiterated that it had no intention or motive to interfere with the US presidential election and urged Washington to provide evidence to support their allegations.
Accusations of Iranian ‘Hack-and-Leak’ Operations
Several American news outlets, including Politico, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, reported receiving documents that appeared to have been stolen from the Trump campaign. A spokesperson for the Trump campaign pointed to these documents as evidence of an Iranian “hack-and-leak” operation designed to undermine the Republican nominee’s election prospects. The FBI, in response to these incidents, launched an investigation into the hacking attempts targeting both political parties.
Last week, Google released a detailed report on an Iranian hacker group, revealing that they had targeted both the Trump and Biden-Harris campaigns in May and June. This revelation added to the growing concerns about foreign interference in the US election process. In a separate incident, Iran was previously blamed for a significant influence operation leading up to the 2020 presidential election. This operation involved sending threatening emails to Democrats in Florida, creating the illusion that they were being targeted by the Proud Boys, a far-right group supporting Mr. Trump.
The FBI and other agencies stressed the importance of protecting the integrity of US elections from foreign influence or interference. As the lead agency for threat response, the FBI continues to track and investigate these activities, maintaining contact with the victims and gathering information to disrupt the threat actors responsible. The agencies made it clear that foreign efforts to influence or interfere with American elections, including targeting political campaigns, would not be tolerated.
FBI’s Ongoing Investigation
The FBI’s investigation into the attempted hacks on the Trump and Biden campaigns remains ongoing. The agencies involved in monitoring foreign interference in US elections are committed to safeguarding the democratic process and ensuring that it remains free from external manipulation. The FBI’s efforts to track and disrupt such threats are crucial in upholding the integrity of the electoral system and preserving the trust of the American public in the democratic process.
In conclusion, the confirmation of Iran’s attempted hacks on the presidential campaigns of both Donald Trump and Joe Biden underscores the ongoing challenges posed by foreign interference in US elections. The FBI and other intelligence agencies are actively working to address these threats and protect the integrity of the electoral process. As the 2024 election approaches, vigilance against cyberattacks and influence operations will be paramount in safeguarding the democratic principles upon which the United States is founded.