Iranian hackers, known for targeting both Democratic and Republican campaigns previously, attempted to breach the WhatsApp accounts of staffers working for President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, Meta Platforms revealed on Friday. The hackers disguised themselves as tech support representatives from companies like Microsoft and Google. Meta uncovered the hacking network after recipients of suspicious WhatsApp messages reported them, linking the activity to the same group responsible for the hack on Trump’s campaign. The FBI stated that Iran’s hack on the Trump campaign and the attempted breach of the Biden-Harris campaign were part of a broader Iranian scheme to interfere with the U.S. presidential election.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, disclosed in a statement 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 figures, including officials associated with the Trump and Biden administrations. Meta blocked a “small cluster” of these targeted accounts. Although there is no evidence that the WhatsApp accounts were compromised, Meta shared its findings publicly and with law enforcement and industry partners as a precaution.
U.S. intelligence officials believe Iran’s aggressive cyberattacks and dissemination of disinformation serve various purposes: to sow confusion and division among voters to undermine confidence in U.S. democracy, to diminish support for Israel, and to thwart candidates who could escalate tensions between Iran and Washington. Iran, seeking vengeance against Trump for actions such as withdrawing from the nuclear deal, reinstating sanctions, and ordering the killing of General Qassem Soleimani, has engaged in covert support for American protests against Israel. In July, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines revealed that Iran supported protests against Israel’s conflict with Hamas, with affiliated groups posing as online activists, aiding in organizing campus protests, and providing financial backing to some protest groups.
Messages left for responses from the Trump and Harris campaigns regarding the hacking attempts were not immediately returned as of Friday.
