An Iranian hacker group recently targeted the WhatsApp accounts of individuals associated with the administrations of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, as announced by Meta on Friday. The malicious activity, originating in Iran, aimed at individuals in Israel, Palestine, Iran, the United States, and the UK, with a primary focus on political and diplomatic officials and other public figures.
Meta's investigation linked the hacking efforts to a group known as 'APT42,' which is notorious for using phishing tactics to steal credentials for online accounts. Meta's security team successfully blocked a cluster of accounts posing as support agents for various tech companies. While there is no evidence of the targeted WhatsApp accounts being compromised, Meta decided to share their findings publicly and collaborate with law enforcement and industry peers as a precautionary measure.
This incident is part of a series of reported attempts by Iranian-backed hackers to influence the upcoming 2024 US presidential election. Google recently disclosed an ongoing and extensive Iranian hacking operation targeting US presidential campaigns. Additionally, US intelligence agencies officially tied Iran to a hack-and-leak operation targeting Trump's campaign.
When asked about the latest hacking attempts by Iran, the FBI referred to a statement from Monday. The Meta incident underscores the persistent threat posed by cyberattacks and the importance of vigilance in safeguarding digital accounts and information.
