Kamala Harris Presidential Campaign Targeted By Foreign Hackers
The FBI has confirmed that Harris's campaign was warned about these malicious efforts, reigniting concerns over foreign interference in U.S. elections.
Ashish Khaitan August 14, 2024 Firewall Daily, Cybersecurity News
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The Kamala Harris presidential campaign has recently been thrust into the spotlight following reports of foreign influence in the 2024 United States presidential election. This targeted threat comes on the heels of similar cyberattacks against Donald Trump’s campaign, believed to involve Iranian operatives.
The FBI has confirmed that Harris’s campaign was warned about these malicious efforts, reigniting concerns over foreign interference in U.S. elections.
Kamala Harris Presidential Campaign Targeted by Hackers
According to NBC News, the Kamala Harris presidential campaign has reassured the public that its cybersecurity measures have successfully thwarted any actual breaches. The campaign stated, “We have robust cybersecurity measures in place, and are not aware of any security breaches of our systems resulting from those efforts.
This confirmation from Harris’s team is significant as it evokes memories of the 2016 presidential election when Russia was believed to have hacked the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to destabilize Hillary Clinton’s campaign and bolster Donald Trump’s bid for the presidency. The stolen files were subsequently leaked by WikiLeaks, influencing the election’s narrative.
This time, the FBI’s investigation into the Kamala Harris presidential campaign and other political entities reveals a larger threat on the US elections. Reports from the Washington Post indicate that the Biden-Harris campaign, before Joe Biden’s withdrawal and Harris’s subsequent nomination as the Democratic presidential candidate, also faced phishing attempts.
The emails targeted three Biden-Harris staff members and were designed to appear legitimate to gain unauthorized access to email communications. In contrast, recent reports suggest that the Trump campaign suffered a more substantial breach. The Washington Post, Politico, and the New York Times have all reported receiving files allegedly stolen from the Trump campaign.
Cyberattack on Trump Campaign by Iranian Hackers
A Trump campaign spokesperson confirmed the hack occurred in June but did not initially report the incident to the FBI, citing mistrust of the agency. The Trump campaign’s spokesperson stated, “The documents were illegally obtained by foreign sources hostile to the United States.” Despite this, Iranian officials have denied any involvement, and the U.S. government has yet to formally accuse Iran of orchestrating the attack, reported BBC.
Iranian hackers were also reported to have targeted Roger Stone, a longtime ally of Trump, as part of the phishing scheme. Stone disclosed to the Washington Post that his personal email accounts had been compromised and he was cooperating with authorities.
Adding complexity to the situation, U.S. intelligence officials have linked Iran to broader efforts to disrupt Trump’s re-election campaign. Speculation suggests that these activities might be in response to heightened tensions, such as recent geopolitical conflicts involving Iran and Israel.
The FBI’s investigation into these hacking attempts was reportedly initiated in early summer, following the attacks on both Trump and Biden-Harris campaigns. Microsoft’s Threat Analysis Center (MTAC) confirmed that an unnamed U.S. presidential campaign was targeted by Iranian hackers with a spear-phishing email in June.
Democratic lawmakers, including Congressman Adam Schiff and Congressman Eric Swalwell, have called for a swift and transparent investigation into these incidents. Schiff criticized the intelligence community’s delayed response to the 2016 Russian hacking and urged quicker action this time around. Swalwell echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing that regardless of past actions or affiliations, the U.S. must not tolerate foreign interference in its democratic processes.
