FBI reveals Iranian hackers tried sharing Trump campaign data with Biden campaign

In an attempt to influence the US 2024 election, Iranian hackers tried to engage President Joe Biden’s campaign with stolen information from former President Donald Trump’s campaign, according to a joint statement released by U.S. federal agencies on Wednesday. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) outlined the hackers’ efforts to interfere in the closely contested race.

The agencies confirmed that Iranian cyber actors sent unsolicited emails in late June and early July to individuals connected to Biden’s campaign before his withdrawal from the race. The emails contained excerpts from non-public, stolen material belonging to Trump’s campaign.

However, the FBI emphasized that there was no evidence that any of the recipients responded to the emails, preventing the stolen information from surfacing during the final months of the election.

“This malicious cyber activity is the latest example of Iran’s multipronged approach…to stoke discord and undermine confidence in our electoral process,” the agencies stated.

In addition to targeting the Biden campaign, the hackers have reportedly continued sending stolen Trump campaign material to U.S. media organizations.

The FBI has been closely tracking the situation and coordinating with victims as part of its ongoing investigation. In the statement, the agency underscored the growing threat of foreign interference as the election nears, with Iran, Russia, and China all seeking to exploit vulnerabilities in the U.S. electoral system.

“These, or other foreign actors, to undermine our democratic institutions are a direct threat to the U.S. and will not be tolerated,” the statement read.

Both the FBI and CISA urged election stakeholders to remain vigilant, encouraging campaigns to report any suspicious activity to authorities.