Google has revealed that Iranian hackers attempted to breach the email accounts of individuals linked to both the Trump and Biden-Harris campaigns during May and June of this year. The cyberattacks were part of a broader phishing campaign orchestrated by a hacking group associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Google’s Threat Analysis Group, which monitors state-sponsored cyber activities, highlighted that the hackers specifically targeted the personal email accounts of several individuals connected to President Biden, former President Trump, and various U.S. government officials. Although many hacking attempts were thwarted, at least one high-profile political consultant’s Gmail account was compromised in July. Google secured the account and reported the incident to law enforcement but did not disclose the consultant’s identity or affiliation with either campaign.
The Iranian hacking campaign has primarily utilized Google products like Sites, Drive, and Gmail to conduct these phishing operations. Despite Google’s efforts to disrupt the attacks, the hackers continue to target accounts associated with President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former President Trump.
The situation gained further attention last week when Microsoft reported that IRGC-affiliated hackers had breached the email account of a former senior adviser to a presidential campaign. However, no specific details about the hacked account were provided, and Microsoft refrained from disclosing further information.
While the Trump campaign claimed over the weekend that it had been hacked, no major cybersecurity firm or government agency has explicitly confirmed this. The FBI is currently investigating the hacking attempts on both campaigns. Iranian officials have denied involvement in the attacks, despite reports to the contrary.
This incident underscores the ongoing cybersecurity threats faced by U.S. political campaigns, particularly from foreign state actors seeking to influence American elections.
