United States has accused Iran of launching cyber-attacks targeting the presidential campaigns of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, as well as attempting to influence US voters to deepen political divisions. This assessment, made by the FBI and other federal agencies, marks the first time the US government has publicly attributed responsibility amid rising concerns over foreign interference in the upcoming election.
Iranian Cyber Operations Target Campaigns
According to a joint statement from the FBI, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Iranian activities have become increasingly aggressive during this election cycle. The agencies reported that Iran’s cyber operations specifically targeted both Harris and Trump’s campaigns. “This includes the recently reported activities to compromise former President Trump’s campaign, which the intelligence community attributes to Iran,” the statement read.
Earlier this month, the Trump campaign accused Iran of hacking one of its websites, with Trump downplaying the incident by stating that Iran only accessed publicly available information. The US agencies also noted that Iranian operatives used social engineering and other techniques to gain access to individuals with direct ties to both campaigns.
Iran Denies Allegations
In response to the US accusations, Iran’s mission to the United Nations dismissed the claims as “unsubstantiated and devoid of any standing,” and challenged Washington to provide evidence. The statement from Iran reiterated that the country has neither the intent nor the motive to interfere in the US presidential election.
Election Security and Past Precedents
Google recently reported that hackers linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, identified as APT42, have been targeting high-profile individuals and organizations in the US and Israel, including political campaigns. This comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran, especially with the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The current allegations echo concerns from the 2016 election, when Russian hackers were blamed for breaching Democratic National Committee emails, which exposed internal communications, including those related to candidate Hillary Clinton.
With the US election scheduled for November 5, the ongoing cyber threats and foreign interference remain a critical concern for national security, although the US agencies have not provided specific details on how they concluded Iran’s involvement or what information may have been compromised.