Iran Confirmed to be Behind Recent Hack of Trump Campaign
US intelligence officials have confirmed that Iran was behind the recent hack of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. The FBI and other federal agencies released a joint statement stating that Iran interfered in the US election to “stoke discord and undermine confidence in our democratic institutions”.
The Trump campaign accused Iran of hacking its internal messages on August 10th, while Iranian officials denied the allegations. Sources familiar with the investigation suspect that Iranian hackers also targeted the campaign of Democratic presidential contender Kamala Harris.
According to US intelligence officials, the Iranians used social engineering and other tactics to gain access to individuals with direct access to the presidential campaigns of both political parties. The agencies involved in the investigation, including the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, noted that Russia and Iran had used similar methods in previous US elections.
It is still unclear what information was stolen during the hack, with Trump claiming that only publicly available information was obtained. However, media outlets such as The New York Times, Politico, and The Washington Post have reported receiving leaked confidential information from inside the Trump campaign.
US officials believe that Iran’s goal was to shape the outcome of elections that could impact its national security interests. They also noted an increase in aggressive Iranian activity during this election cycle.
Concerns about potential Iranian hackers have been growing, with Microsoft reporting significant influence activity by groups linked to Iran. Both President Joe Biden’s and Trump’s campaigns were targeted by Iranian hackers, according to Google.
The investigation into the hack of the Trump campaign is ongoing, with authorities working to determine the extent of the breach and any potential impact on the election process.
