In a significant cybersecurity threat, Google confirmed on Tuesday that Iranian-backed hackers have been targeting the US presidential campaigns of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. According to a report from Google’s Threat Analysis Group, the hacker group known as APT42, which has ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has attempted to breach the accounts of high-profile individuals and organizations in both Israel and the United States, including those associated with the Harris and Trump campaigns.
A Harris campaign official revealed that in July, the campaign’s legal and security teams were notified by the FBI of an ongoing foreign influence operation. The official emphasized that despite these attempts, there have been no confirmed security breaches within their systems due to robust cybersecurity measures.
The report highlighted that APT42 has been using phishing tactics to deceive targets into divulging login credentials for accounts such as Gmail. These efforts include impersonating think tanks or other credible contacts to lure victims into fake video meeting landing pages requiring login details.
Google’s analysis noted that while the group has failed in most of its recent attempts, the threat remains persistent. In 2020, APT42 similarly targeted the campaigns of Biden and Trump, with Google successfully blocking numerous phishing attempts. This spring and summer, the group renewed its focus on US and Israeli targets, continuing its phishing campaigns unabated.
In response to these developments, Google has urged high-risk individuals, especially those involved in the upcoming US elections, to remain vigilant and utilize enhanced security measures provided by the tech giant.
The US State Department has issued a warning to Iran regarding the consequences of election interference following the Trump campaign’s announcement of a potential breach. The Trump campaign suggested that the Iranian group was responsible for the breach, which resulted in sensitive documents being leaked to the press.
As the 2024 election approaches, the increasing sophistication of cyber threats underscores the critical importance of cybersecurity in the political arena.
