An Iranian hacking group, known for targeting both Democratic and Republican presidential campaigns, attempted to breach the WhatsApp accounts of staffers in the administrations of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, according to Meta Platforms.
Meta revealed that the hackers, posing as tech support agents for companies like Microsoft and Google, were identified after recipients of suspicious WhatsApp messages reported the activity. Meta's investigation linked this incident to the same network responsible for the hacking attempt on Trump's campaign.
The FBI confirmed that the hack on the Trump campaign and the attempted breach of the Biden-Harris campaign were part of a broader Iranian effort to interfere with the U.S. presidential election.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, disclosed that the hackers targeted WhatsApp accounts of individuals in the Middle East, the U.S., and the U.K., as well as political and diplomatic officials, including those associated with the Trump and Biden administrations. Meta blocked a 'small cluster' of targeted accounts as a precautionary measure.
While there is no evidence of the WhatsApp accounts being compromised, Meta decided to share its findings publicly and with law enforcement agencies and industry partners.
U.S. intelligence officials believe that Iran's cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns serve multiple purposes, including sowing confusion among voters, undermining confidence in U.S. democracy, opposing candidates perceived to escalate tensions between the U.S. and Iran, and eroding support for Israel.
Iran's actions are seen as retaliatory against Trump's administration for ending the nuclear deal, imposing sanctions, and ordering the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines previously stated that Iran covertly supported American protests against Israel's conflict with Hamas in Gaza by backing online activists, encouraging campus demonstrations, and providing financial aid to protest groups.
Efforts to reach the Trump and Harris campaigns for comment on this latest development were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
