Google revealed on Wednesday that an Iranian group associated with Iran's Revolutionary Guard has been targeting the personal email accounts of approximately a dozen individuals connected to President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump, and Vice President Kamala Harris since May. The group is actively pursuing individuals linked to the current and former government officials, as well as presidential campaign affiliates.
The report from Google's Threat Analysis Group corroborates and expands on a recent Microsoft report, highlighting suspected Iranian cyber intrusions in the ongoing U.S. presidential election. The Iranian attackers have been employing email credential phishing techniques to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information.
Google's threat researchers detected and disrupted the Iranian attackers' activities, including a successful breach of a high-profile political consultant's personal Gmail account. The incidents have been reported to the FBI, indicating the seriousness of the cyber threats posed by foreign adversaries.
This Iranian group, known as APT42 by Google and Mint Sandstorm by Microsoft, has a history of interference in U.S. elections. In addition to targeting the Biden and Trump campaigns during the 2020 cycle, the group has engaged in cyber espionage activities in the Middle East, particularly during the Israel-Hamas War.
While the Trump campaign reported being hacked and sensitive internal documents being stolen and distributed, Iran has denied any involvement in the cyber intrusions. U.S. intelligence officials have warned of escalating efforts from both Russia and Iran to influence the U.S. election through various online activities, including fake news websites and social media accounts.
The FBI is actively investigating the intrusion attempts on both the Trump and Biden-Harris campaigns, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Despite Iran's denial of interference in the U.S. presidential election, the reports from Google and Microsoft indicate a concerning trend of foreign cyber threats targeting key political figures.
