Summary:
Yesterday, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a joint statement, highlighting Iran’s longstanding interest in exploiting societal tensions, including the use of cyber operations to attempt to gain access to sensitive information related to U.S. elections. As the presidential election approaches, the agencies have observed an increase in Iranian activity, targeting the American public as well as Presidential campaigns. Notably, Iranian actors have employed social engineering and other tactics to gain access to individuals with direct access to Presidential campaigns of both political parties. This activity includes thefts and disclosures, which is intended to influence the U.S election process.

Security Officer Comments:
The development comes after former President Trump disclosed on his Truth social media account that one of his campaign websites was hacked by the Iranian government. While the former president noted that the actors were only able to only access publicly available information in the attack, the latest joint statement from the agencies confirmed attribution to Iran, highlighting Iran’s growing interest to shape the outcome of US election in its favor.

The ODNI, FBI, and CISA stated that they are closely working with public and private sector partners to share information, bolster security and identify and disrupt any threats to the US elections. With Iran’s increased intent to exploit online platforms associated with the 2024 US elections to further meet its objectives, the agencies have reiterated the importance of increased resilience of these platforms.

Suggested Corrections:
The agencies recommend using strong passwords and only official email accounts for official business, updating software, avoiding clicking on links or opening attachments from suspicious emails before confirming their authenticity with the sender, and turning on multi-factor authentication to improve online security and safety during the Presidential election.

Link(s):
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDHSCISA/bulletins/3afd156