Iranian Hackers Indicted for Cyberattacks on Trump Campaign, Targeting 2024 Election

U.S. Charges Iranian Hackers in Trump Campaign Cyberattack

The U.S. Department of Justice has announced criminal charges against three Iranian hackers accused of conducting a four-year-long cyberattack campaign targeting Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. The indictment names Masoud Jalili, Seyyed Ali Aghamiri, and Yasar (Yaser) Balaghi as the perpetrators of the operation, which officials believe was partly in retaliation for the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in 2020.

Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that the hacking campaign aimed to influence the 2024 presidential election and undermine Trump’s campaign. Garland emphasized that these efforts were attempts to stoke discord and erode confidence in the U.S. electoral process, reaffirming the importance of protecting American democracy and sovereignty.

The hackers allegedly targeted former senior government officials with phishing lures, compromising online accounts and stealing campaign material. Their goal was to leak files to the media, potentially impacting the upcoming election.

In August, several media outlets, including Politico, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, received documents allegedly stolen from the Trump campaign. These were shared by an individual identifying themselves as “Robert.” However, the media outlets chose not to report on the content of the documents, instead focusing on the fact that files were stolen and leaked.

A joint statement from the FBI, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and CISA accused Iran of being behind the hack-and-leak operation. The statement confirmed social engineering efforts to access presidential campaigns, noting that similar tactics have been employed by Iran and Russia in the past.

Tech giants Microsoft and Google have also accused Iranian government-backed hackers of targeting individuals affiliated with both Trump and Biden campaigns.

In a related development, independent journalist Ken Klippenstein published a 271-page dossier on J.D. Vance, citing public interest as the reason for his decision to publish, despite media reluctance due to fears of government backlash.

As investigations continue, the incident highlights the ongoing challenges in safeguarding electoral processes from foreign interference and cyberattacks.