Thu Sep 19 09:00:16 UTC 2024: ## Iranian Hackers Tried to Sway Biden Campaign with Stolen Trump Data

**WASHINGTON** – In an attempt to interfere in the 2024 election, Iranian hackers sought to influence the Biden campaign by sending emails containing stolen information from the Trump campaign, according to the FBI and other federal agencies.

While the emails were received by individuals associated with Biden’s campaign before the Trump campaign hack was publicly acknowledged, there’s no indication that any of the recipients responded or were aware of the emails’ origin.

The emails, sent in late June and early July, contained excerpts of stolen, non-public materials from the Trump campaign, according to a joint statement from the FBI, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. The agencies have stated that the Trump campaign hack and an attempted breach of the Biden-Harris campaign were part of a broader effort to undermine voter confidence and sow discord.

The Trump campaign was informed by the FBI within the past two days that the stolen information had been sent to the Biden campaign. The Trump campaign publicly disclosed the hack on August 10th, stating that Iranian actors had stolen and distributed sensitive internal documents.

While several news outlets, including Politico, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, received confidential materials from the Trump campaign, none have published the information.

The Biden-Harris campaign, while condemning the malicious activity, stated that the emails were received by a few individuals who perceived them as spam or phishing attempts.

This latest revelation comes amid a heightened focus on foreign interference in the election, with US officials using various means, including criminal charges, sanctions, and public advisories, to address actions taken by foreign adversaries. This marks a significant shift from the 2016 election, where the Obama administration was criticized for not being upfront about Russian interference in favor of Trump.

Intelligence officials believe that Iran opposes Trump’s re-election, considering him more likely to escalate tensions between Washington and Tehran. The Trump administration’s withdrawal from the nuclear deal with Iran, reimposition of sanctions, and the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani have fueled these tensions.

This incident highlights the growing concern over foreign actors attempting to influence US elections through cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns. As the 2024 election draws closer, technology companies and national security officials are actively working to safeguard the election from such threats.

Read More