August 25, 2024 at 12:45PM
Meta Platforms revealed that an Iranian hacking group, previously targeting US presidential campaigns, also attempted to hack WhatsApp accounts of Biden and Trump administrations’ staffers. The network impersonated tech support from major tech companies. The FBI confirmed Iranian interference in the US election. Meta detected hacking attempts in the Middle East, the US, and the UK. They blocked some accounts as a precaution. Google and Microsoft also reported Iranian cyber intrusions in the election. US intelligence suspects Iran aims to undermine US democracy, oppose pro-Israel candidates, and seek revenge against the Trump administration. Iran has covertly supported protests against Israel. No immediate response was received from the Trump and Harris campaigns.
From the meeting notes:
– A hacking group believed to be from Iran targeted the WhatsApp accounts of staffers in the administrations of Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
– The group posed as tech support agents for various companies, such as AOL, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Google.
– The FBI stated that the hack on the Trump campaign and the attempted breach of the Biden-Harris campaign were part of a broader Iranian effort to interfere with the U.S. presidential election.
– Meta reported that the hackers attempted to target WhatsApp accounts of individuals in the Middle East, the United States, and the United Kingdom, including political and diplomatic officials associated with the Trump and Biden administrations.
– Google and Microsoft’s threat intelligence arms also reported suspected Iranian cyber intrusions in this year’s presidential election.
– U.S. intelligence officials believe that Iran’s aggressive use of cyberattacks and disinformation has multiple motives, including undermining confidence in U.S. democracy, eroding support for Israel, and opposing specific political candidates.
– Iran has vowed revenge against Trump, and intelligence sources have indicated that Iran’s government covertly supported American protests against Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.
There were no immediate responses from the Trump and Harris campaigns to the reported incidents.
For further information, a related article highlighted Iran’s accelerating cyber activity meant to influence the US election, as reported by Microsoft.
Let me know if you need any additional details!