- The U.S. Justice Department charged three Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps members with hacking into Donald Trump's presidential campaign.
- The accused allegedly created fake email accounts to deceive campaign officials and steal internal documents.
- The stolen information was leaked to media outlets and the campaign of President Joe Biden.
- The indictment underscores the ongoing threat of foreign interference in the U.S. election process.
In a recent development that has sent shockwaves through the political landscape, the U.S. Justice Department unsealed criminal charges against three members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps.
The individuals, identified as Masoud Jalili, Seyyed Ali Aghamiri, and Yasar Balaghi, stand accused of hacking into Donald Trump's presidential campaign with the intent to disrupt the November 5 election. This indictment is the latest in a series of efforts by the Biden administration to counteract foreign interference in the election, which saw former President Trump, a Republican, pitted against his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris.
The Iranian government, however, has dismissed these allegations as baseless. In a statement released on Thursday, Iran denied targeting former U.S. officials. Despite these denials, Attorney General Merrick Garland, in a news conference on Friday, maintained that the three men were actively working to undermine Trump's campaign. "We are seeing increasingly aggressive Iranian cyber activity during this election cycle," Garland warned.
The indictment details the tactics employed by the accused. The three men allegedly created fake email accounts, posing as trusted sources to deceive several campaign officials. These officials were then tricked into clicking on links that allowed the hackers to steal emails and other internal documents, including debate preparation material and profiles of potential vice presidential candidates.
Leaked Information and the Biden Campaign's Response
This stolen information was subsequently leaked to media outlets and the campaign of President Joe Biden, who was then a candidate. Interestingly, the Biden campaign officials did not respond when offered Trump's debate preparation material shortly before the two candidates met for their only debate on June 27.
This restraint stands in stark contrast to the 2016 election, when hacked communications from Democrat Hillary Clinton's campaign received extensive coverage.
The Iranian hacking team, known as APT42 or Charming Kitten, is notorious for placing surveillance software on mobile phones. This software allows them to record calls, steal texts, and silently turn on cameras and microphones.
Despite the three men currently being in Iran and beyond the reach of U.S. law enforcement, Garland noted that the Justice Department has successfully apprehended other international suspects long after they were charged. We will follow these people for the rest of their lives, he vowed.
The Justice Department's indictment also highlights that Iran's efforts are not confined to the digital realm. A Pakistani man with alleged ties to Iran pleaded not guilty earlier this month to terrorism charges stemming from what authorities say was a plot to assassinate a U.S. politician in retaliation for the killing of Iran's Revolutionary Guards top commander in 2020.
Echoes of Past Election Interference
The defendant named Trump as a potential target, but there are no indications he was linked to the two recent attempts on Trump's life. The Justice Department has also targeted Russian attempts to tamper with the election, bringing criminal charges and sanctions against employees of state media outlet RT for allegedly funding pro-Trump social-media influencers in the United States.
This incident is reminiscent of the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, where Russian hackers were accused of interfering in the election process. The hackers allegedly stole emails from the Democratic National Committee and leaked them to the public, causing significant damage to Hillary Clinton's campaign. The current situation with Iran seems to be a repeat of history, with foreign entities once again attempting to influence the U.S. election process.
The indictment underscores the ongoing threat of foreign interference in the U.S. election process and serves as a stark reminder of the need for robust cybersecurity measures and vigilance in safeguarding the integrity of the democratic process. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the U.S. will respond to these allegations and what measures will be taken to prevent future cyber-attacks on its electoral process.
