Federal indictment details long-running cyberattacks targeting U.S. officials and 2024 campaigns

A U.S. federal grand jury has indicted three Iranian nationals in connection with a large-scale hacking campaign that targeted U.S. officials, including members of the Trump campaign. The indictment, unsealed on Friday, alleges that Masoud Jalili, Seyyed Ali Aghamiri, and Yasar Balaghi were part of a scheme orchestrated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to undermine U.S. interests and interfere with the democratic process.

Since 2020, the hackers are accused of compromising various U.S. officials, including diplomats, intelligence personnel, and political figures, aiming to cause discord and disrupt the electoral process. One of the key targets was the Trump campaign during the summer of 2023. The indictment details how hackers sent phishing emails to campaign associates, enabling malware to infiltrate their computers and steal sensitive information. This information was then attempted to be shared with individuals connected to the Biden campaign and journalists.

The hackers allegedly also targeted other prominent U.S. officials, including a former CIA deputy director, a homeland security adviser, and a former U.S. ambassador to Israel. Additionally, individuals from the Departments of Justice, Defense, and State were compromised.

The Iranian government has denied involvement in the hack. However, federal agencies, including the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, previously linked Iranian cyber actors to similar activities, including sending stolen Trump campaign materials to members of the Biden campaign.

In the broader context of election interference, Iran has reportedly launched several operations to influence the 2024 U.S. election, including the creation of fake news sites.