Microsoft Uncovers Iranian Hackers Targeting US Election Officials

Microsoft researchers revealed on Friday that hackers tied to the Iranian government attempted to breach the account of a “high-ranking official” in a US presidential election campaign in June. This attempt occurred only weeks after the same hackers successfully infiltrated the account of a county-level U.S. official. These breaches are part of a broader effort by Iranian groups to influence the US presidential election in November.

The researchers’ report, however, did not disclose further details about the high-ranking official in question. This revelation comes on the heels of statements from senior U.S. intelligence officials, who have observed an increase in Iran’s use of covert social media accounts aimed at sowing political discord within the United States.

Microsoft Uncovers Iranian Hackers Targeting US Election Officials

The Iranian mission to the United Nations in New York responded to Reuters by stating that its cyber capabilities are “defensive and proportionate to the threats it faces” and denied any plans to launch cyber-attacks. They emphasized that the U.S. presidential election is an internal matter in which Iran does not interfere.

The Microsoft report specifies that a group linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence unit sent a spear-phishing email to a high-ranking official of a presidential campaign. Another group, also linked to the IRGC, compromised the account of a county-level government employee with minimal access permissions.

While the report does not clarify Iran’s precise intentions, U.S. officials have previously suggested that Iran particularly opposes former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, in favour of his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris.

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Additionally, the report indicates that another Iranian group has been launching covert news sites using artificial intelligence to lift content from legitimate news sources. These sites target U.S. voters on opposite sides of the political spectrum. The two identified sites are Nio Thinker, a left-leaning platform, and Savannah Time, a conservative site. Both websites had similar formats and lacked contact details. Nio Thinker brands itself as a source for “insightful, progressive news and analysis,” while Savannah Time presents itself as reflecting conservative values with local insights.

As Iran escalates its cyber-influence activities, the report notes that Russia-linked actors are also intensifying their focus on the U.S. election. Meanwhile, actors linked to the Chinese Communist Party are leveraging pro-Palestinian university protests and other current events in the U.S. to raise political tensions.

Microsoft continues to monitor how foreign adversaries use generative AI technology, which can create realistic fake images, photos, and videos quickly. This technology raises concerns among experts about its potential to mislead voters during the election cycle, making vigilance against such cyber threats crucial.