Iran’s actions, which involved “thefts and disclosures,” were aimed at influencing the U.S. election, according to the statement. This confirmation comes after several media outlets, including the New York Times and Politico, reported receiving internal campaign documents, such as a dossier on Ohio Senator JD Vance, Trump’s running mate.
In the wake of the breach, Trump accused the Iranian government, saying that Microsoft had notified his campaign of the hack. He also claimed that only publicly available information was compromised. Around the same time, Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign revealed that the FBI had warned of foreign hacking attempts, which were ultimately unsuccessful due to their cybersecurity measures.
The broader goal of Iran’s activities, according to the intelligence officials, was to influence the U.S. election. They noted that Iran views the current election cycle as crucial for its national security and has ramped up its influence and cyber operations targeting American campaigns.
The FBI is actively working with those affected by the hacking and is committed to identifying and disrupting those responsible. They reiterated that foreign interference in U.S. elections will not be tolerated, including any efforts targeting American political campaigns.
This follows the 2016 election, during which Hillary Clinton’s campaign was hacked, leading to the release of internal emails. Russian intelligence officers were later indicted for their involvement in that attack.
